


Worth Melting For

by SnowgieWrites



Category: Frozen (Disney Movies)
Genre: F/F, Family, Hurt/Comfort, Minor Violence, Mostly Elsa Falling in Love, Mutual Pining, Romance, Royalty, Slow Burn, Some Action
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:02:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 66,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26326825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SnowgieWrites/pseuds/SnowgieWrites
Summary: A foreign kingdom threatens Arendelle's peace, forcing Elsa to head efforts to protect her people. Luckily, she has her family to lean on through this ordeal that will test her limits. And maybe a pretty soldier can prove herself helpful, if Elsa will let her. Set shortly after Frozen 1.
Relationships: Anna/Kristoff (Disney), Elsa (Disney)/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 37
Kudos: 95





	1. Chapter 1

Arendelle was a small but blossoming kingdom. It was nestled among the mountains of the far north in the Scandinavian region. On one side, it was delimited by the Arenfjord, which gave it access to the sea. A forest lined the other side of the realm. Most of its population was concentrated around the formidable castle that housed the royal family.

A few months after the Great Thaw, the nation was on its way to being as powerful and strong as it had been during King Agnarr and Queen Iduna's reign. As a matter of fact, Queen Elsa, their daughter, though young and still unexperienced, was proving to be a force to be reckoned with amid the other rulers of the area during negotiations. In fact, there was only one person who constantly had the upper hand on her, and that was her little sister, Princess Anna.

"Come ooooon," the princess whined.

"Anna, I'm working," Elsa replied, trying to remain patient. She was going over some documents at the desk in her study. "We can do that at another time."

"But the first snow is now!" Overly excited, Anna stood in front of the desk, her back to the triangle-shaped windows that let in the gray light of the beginning of winter. She was already dressed for the cold, wearing a light blue long-sleeved dress and the magenta bonnet and cape she had acquired during this summer's impromptu snow storm. Her strawberry blonde hair was in two braids.

"Remind me again why that's so important?"

"You're the Snow Queen! I think you making some sort of appearance should be a tradition."

Elsa sat back on her chair trying to keep a smile from creeping onto her face, but seeing the glee in her sister's eyes about the slightest of things always made her heart melt. Not to mention the pang of guilt that she felt at all the firsts that shouldn't be but were just because they had been kept apart for so long. Because of Elsa and her secret.

Yep. Anna had her sister wrapped around her little finger. Always would.

"Fine," Elsa said, getting up with exaggerated reluctance.

Anna squealed and hugged her sister. "Yes! I'm going to go let everyone know!"

Elsa smiled as she watched her sister leave through the tall double doors to her left. "I'm sure you will."

* * *

Soon thereafter, the sisters and a group of people and children gathered at the castle courtyard. It was the open space between the main structure of the castle and the gates, which were now permanently open.

Anna was right, Elsa thought. This was indeed a cause for celebration. And it wouldn't hurt to make the villagers experience her powers—not in fear but in celebration—as much as possible.

The day was gloomy but there was joy in the heart of every person around. They were all bundled up even if it wasn't that cold compared to what the storms would bring in January and February, but the first chances to get out the winter clothing were always strangely exhilarating. It was like the blissful amnesia-like phenomenon that had women desire more children even after having gone through the painful process of childbirth. Still, it was cold enough for the fluffy snow to start sticking to the cobblestone of the courtyard, bringing a bit of light to what had been a gray November.

Despite of this, Elsa, not bothered by the chilly wind, wore her Snow Queen attire, a crystal-blue off-the-shoulder dress made out of ice with a right knee-high slit, a crystallized bodice, and translucent powder blue sleeves. She wore her hair in a loose French braid that was swept over her left shoulder.

As Elsa prepared to speak, everyone was entranced watching the snow fall, as if it was the first time they'd seen it. It would seem that even though they had just seen a ton of it no more than four months earlier, during the Frozen Summer, the snowflakes still captured the attention of even the most hardened of hearts through their beauty and mystery. Just like the Queen, in fact, who even before the coronation had been attracting every suitor from lands close and far away.

"People of Arendelle," she began, getting everyone's attention. She even heard the guards and advisors behind her stand at attention. They were situated between the fountains that occupied the center of the courtyard. "It is my pleasure to welcome with you the first snow of winter!" She exclaimed with a smile and in a cloud of sparkling flurries, got her magic to work into making an ice skating rink and generating more snow so that children could start playing in it. She also had the fountain water freeze in place, making for an extraordinary sight.

Everyone cheered and started to skate as Elsa and Anna watched with bright smiles on their faces.

Suddenly, Elsa spotted a soldier from her army irrupt through the gates at full speed on a horse. He slowed down the animal's pace as he rounded the skating rink and avoided the people gathered around it before making it to the sisters and dismounting.

"Your Majesty," the young man said as he bowed, getting a piece of parchment out of one of his pockets. "A message from General Magnus."

"Thank you," Elsa took the folded parchement, studying his face. He seemed scared. And tired. "You may go into the castle to get refreshed before going back, if you wish."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," he bowed again and, taking his horse's reins, hurried away, smiling at the thought of a warm supper.

Anna got closer to her sister, standing behind her shoulder to get a peak of what he had given her. "What was that about?"

"I don't know," she turned the letter around a few times, debating whether to read it now or later. As she thought of the way the young soldier had rushed into the courtyard, she decided it was probably urgent. As she opened it, she turned, walking away from her sister's prying eyes toward the columns that surrounded the open space.

Anna sighed. Elsa didn't think she was mature enough to know of the business of the kingdom. The princess turned her attention back to the impromptu Winter Wonderland and was glad to see Olaf playing with the children, helping them build other, less lively snowmen.

It was amazing how everyone looked so happy. Sometimes she still couldn't believe that the gates were open for good, that she was free to come and go as she pleased.

Soon, though, she noticed the snow was falling harder. First she looked up at the sky and then at her sister. Elsa's face was falling as she read, and frost was starting to spread on the ground from the spot she was standing on.

"Elsa?" Anna called, getting closer to her sister slowly. Her heart started to beat faster as she imagined the worst.

Elsa looked up, whipping back into reality. The snow now hung in mid-air.

Anna cleared her throat and motioned with her eyes to the new ice under Elsa's feet, trying to subtly make her aware of what was happening without making others notice.

Elsa followed her sister's gaze downward and then looked up at the snowflakes suspended in place, slowly realizing what she was doing. Despite the fact that she was now spending time trying to learn to work with her powers, she still found herself being overwhelmed by them at times. She was also aware that some people were starting to notice, because they stopped what they were doing to stare at her. The flash of fear in some of their eyes broke her heart.

She closed her eyes, took a deep breath to compose herself, and with a flick of her hand, made everything she had created disappear.

As some children protested, disappointed, she spoke. "I'm sorry but something has come up. I wish you a good beginning of winter and remember the castle doors are always open for whatever you may need." For once, this was recited more out of habit than whole-heartedly, and Anna noticed.

Anna threw a last glance at the people leaving in disappointment. "Why did you make everything disappear? You could have let—" Anna cut herself off when she realized her sister was no longer standing where she had just a moment ago.

In fact, Elsa was now rushing toward the castle, followed by her entourage.

"Elsa!" Anna struggled to catch up to her sister as she climbed the steps that led to the Entrance Hall. "What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry, Anna. This is serious. I need to talk it over with my advisors before I let you know what's going on."

"Can't I be a part of this from the start for once?" Anna said, frustration clear in her voice.

Making her way up the stairs, Elsa actually considered it. Usually, she was reluctant to let her sister in. Anna still had a lot to learn. She hadn't been brought up to reign like Elsa had. Not to mention the younger sister was still so innocent. It would be a waste not to let her enjoy that for as long as possible before bringing her into politics.

On the other hand, Elsa knew this affair was different than all the others before. This was personal. She was going to need all the help she could get.

They stopped at the landing and Elsa faced Anna. "Fine. But on my terms and only as long as you're comfortable with what's happening, alright?"

"Yes, yes! Whatever you say," Anna suddenly forgot she was worried, giddiness taking its place. She didn't think about the fact that if she was being let in, it was because she was the only person Elsa trusted to help her keep her emotions in check. The Snow Queen was going to need her little sister to stand by her side for this one.


	2. Chapter 2

After Elsa and Anna had taken some time to freshen up as they waited for the councilmembers to be summoned, they were reunited at the Council Chamber.

A large table took up most of the space, seating up to twenty people. As it was the case for most of the rooms, the ceiling was high and the features sober but regal. The tall windows filled the room with sunlight despite the cloudy day.

Elsa sat at the head of the table, with Anna on her right and three of her advisors on her left. She spoke as soon as they had all taken their place.

"I received a troubling message from our troops at the Eastern border," she began, unfolding the letter she was holding.

Captain Erik Rapp, the military strategist, was the advisor closest to Elsa. He sat up straighter on his chair, leaning forward. He was a big man in his late thirties with long brown hair that reached his shoulders and a neatly trimmed goatee. He wore his usual blue military jacket emblazoned with shiny medals of different colors, signs of his many accomplishments. "From the general?" He asked, his kind eyes clouded with concern.

General Magnus Anderson was the highest ranking official of the Arendellian army. He was a fair man who treated everyone with kindness and compassion. He was also an excellent strategist and warrior. All in all, he had become very dear to every soldier who served under his command, a sort of a father figure to all of them.

"The message is from him. You'll understand better when I read it." Elsa cleared her throat and took a moment to compose herself before reciting what was written.

_Unto Her Majesty, the Queen of Arendelle. General Anderson of your army requests your immediate attention._

_We have been receiving attacks from a foreign army for the past few days. We have been able to keep the situation under control, but they are ruthless, and we don't have much time to recover between each blow. It's starting to take its toll. We won't stand unaided for much longer._

_Today, I received a message from the enemy army, claiming they are sent by King Oddvar of Hodgevike. The messenger said: 'We will take Queen Elsa and her kingdom down, no matter the cost. We won't have a woman take over our trade and land.'_

_Humbly, I believe this is a declaration of war. I await further instructions and hope you will be able to provide reinforcements._

_I have the honor to remain Your Majesty's most humble and loyal servant._

The room fell silent for an instant. Out of the corner of her eye, Elsa saw Anna fuming as the advisors took a moment to take it all in.

"Because you're a woman?" Anna exclaimed, her frustration making her stand from her seat. "That's all this guy has against you?"

"Anna, please." With her eyes, Elsa asked her sister to sit back down. But she was glad the young woman was as outraged as she was about it. The first time she had read the letter, she had only been scared, for her army and for her people. Was she going to be able to make the right decisions? To protect them? The responsibility had weighed heavy on her shoulders. But this time she was angry. She was not going to let anything make her doubt herself or her people. Especially not based only on her gender.

Anna looked at Elsa with fire in her eyes, but she sat back down reluctantly.

"Thank you," Elsa told her, squeezing Anna's hand over the table briefly before she turned back to the advisors. "What do you think?"

"I think the first step should be to arrange to send reinforcements as soon as possible," Captain Rapp offered.

"I agree," Elsa nodded. "You can arrange for some troops to join them first thing tomorrow morning with more supplies."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"With that taken care of," the political advisor, Kai, chimed in. He was an imposing but gentle man. "Ivan here can do some research as to what kind of trade he does, whether he does trade with us, and how his kingdom stands financially and politically," he nudged the financial advisor to his left.

"Yes, yes," Ivan Westergard nodded. He was the one furthest away from Elsa. In his mid-sixties, he was the oldest one in the room. He had short white hair and his worn features exuded experience. He put on his glasses to scribble something down on the paper in front of him before looking back at Elsa. "I can do that."

"Yes, thank you, Ivan. Then we can know what we're up against."

He nodded in response and went back to writing down what he had to do lest he forget about it.

"I can assist Ivan with those duties using my sources in different kingdoms," Kai added. "We should also think about what our stance will be. Are we open to negotiations or are we fighting this on the battlefield?"

Elsa considered this for a moment. The personal attack aside, she would much rather take care of this peacefully. She didn't believe in wars and was certainly not open to putting anybody's life in danger. But she needed more information before making a decision. "We can discuss such matters once we know more. For now, the general and his troops are our priority. We can also strengthen the military presence on all of our borders so that our people can remain safe."

The councilmembers agreed, but Kai had something else to add. "Your Majesty, we can't ignore the personal threat that was made against you by King Oddvar. We should also consider getting you more personal security."

Just the thought made Elsa's temper rise. "I'm not using manpower to protect only myself when it's the whole kingdom that's being threatened." She struggled to keep her cool, so to speak, and Anna felt it.

"Elsa, don't dismiss it so quickly."

Elsa turned to face her sister, who continued.

"After all, you're the one leading this kingdom. You need to stay safe to do that."

"I will not be afraid, hiding behind guards. I can take care of myself and of my people," Elsa shot at Anna, and there was ice in her eyes. In her mind, it was almost like she was being asked to put her gloves back on, to shut herself out. It was completely out of the question.

Anna's heart dropped to her stomach. The hardened look on her sister's face told her she had said the wrong thing. Even if it hadn't been her idea, she was the one who had the most to lose with Elsa, so she felt the rebuttal the hardest.

Everyone was on their feet as soon as Elsa stood up, commanding their attention. She looked at her advisors, who stood solemnly. They were starting to know their queen. Even though she hadn't been ruling for long, she was already whipping things back into shape in the kingdom. She had been actively ruling for over a year before officially becoming queen. She was humble, recognizing when she was in over her head and knowing when to ask for help. But she was also fierce and knew what she wanted.

"You know your duties?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," they responded in unison.

"You can let the rest of the council know what's happening. I expect you'll keep me informed of any developments. But not a word about this to anyone else, understood?" She gazed at all of them, ending with her sister. "No one else can know. We don't want to cause a panic."

"Got it," Anna reassured her sister.

"Good," Elsa took her eyes away from her sister and addressed everyone in the room. "Thank you. You're dismissed."

As the advisors left the room, Anna tried to reach out to her sister before she followed them out.

"Hey, Elsa?" Anna said.

"Not now, Anna," Elsa shot back, in a rush to leave the room that was stifling her, without glancing back at the younger woman.

Anna was left standing there, alone. She couldn't help feeling she had made a huge mistake. Dealing with Elsa sometimes felt like stepping onto a recently frozen pond. Some areas were already thick, sturdy enough to bear down on safely. In others, you had to tread carefully. One false move could send you crashing through the ice. For Anna, that could mean getting the door slammed in her face again.

The younger sister sighed and also exited. She made her way to her room, and as she turned a corner, she spotted Kristoff, who was leaning against the door of her room. He was entertaining himself with his beanie, throwing it up in the air and catching it repeatedly.

As she approached him, he turned his head toward her and stopped his game, putting the beanie back on. "Hey," he smiled. "I was waiting for you. They said you were in an official meeting with Elsa and some council members… It didn't go well?" His smile faded as he noticed her downcast expression.

"You could say that," she shrugged, opening the door and letting them both into the bright pink room. "Some king is threatening Arendelle and Elsa, personally. Just because she's a woman. Can you believe that? And then we told her she should consider getting more personal security, but she really didn't like the idea. She thought we were asking her to hide, but we were just—"

"Whoa, slow down," Kristoff sat down on the bed, which was covered with a pink comforter and white decorated pillows. He watched as his girlfriend paced the room. "Wait, another kingdom is threatening Arendelle? Should we be worried?"

Anna's eyes grew wide, suddenly remembering the warning Elsa had given her. "Damn it, I wasn't supposed to tell you any of that." She threw herself on the bed by his side, looking up at the ceiling. "How am I so bad at this already?" she said more to herself than to him.

"Don't worry, I won't say anything. But should we? Be worried?"

"No. Elsa and the council are taking care of it. But that's not the point."

"What is?"

"The point is…" she turned her head to face him. "I'm afraid Elsa will shut me out again. That she doesn't think I trust her to take care of herself and the kingdom. That we want her to go back to hiding herself for safety's sake like she did for years."

"I don't think your sister could ever shut you out again, not after everything you've been through."

"You didn't see how angry she was," she sat up at the edge of the bed and leaned sideways into him, resting her head on his shoulder.

Despite of the love both sisters knew that they had for one another, the day-to-day relationship was still hard for them to handle when things got tough. Reconnecting with a person she had barely seen for thirteen years still proved to be difficult.

As she sat there with her boyfriend's comforting arm around her shoulders, Anna decided on her strategy for the next few days. Since she felt she had come on a little too strong in the meeting, not being sensitive enough about Elsa's emotions, she decided she was done pushing. She would give Elsa her space. She was not willing to risk aggravating her again.

* * *

After Elsa basically stormed out of the meeting, she rushed into her study. Once inside, she started pacing. She couldn't believe what they were suggesting. Get more personal protection when she was already living in the most secure place in Arendelle? When she had twenty people hovering over her at any given time? She had ice powers, for crying out loud. She was well able to take care of herself.

In a fit of frustration, she shot her hand toward the double doors, effectively encasing the entrance in ice. She had steam to blow and she didn't want anyone interrupting.

As she continued to pace the floor, her thoughts ran rampant. She vaguely noticed when a light snow shower started to fall in the room. She was furious. At King Oddvar and his misogyny. At her having to wait before taking further action. At her council's proposition… But she was also afraid. Deep down, even though she didn't want to admit it. She was scared that this would force her hand, making her show the worst of herself. This had the potential to confront her emotionally to the point that she could lose control of her powers. She still wasn't sure if she could keep them in check.

Speaking of which… She suddenly broke out of her mind-rambling to realize the snow was falling hard now, covering the floor with a thick white carpet. She stopped, took a deep breath, and decided it would be a good idea to stop the localized blizzard before the whole castle froze over. In order to do that, she had to think about positive things, about what she loved. Her go-to was always to think of her sister—

"Anna," she breathed, remembering how harsh she had been to her. Guilt had her stomach tightening. She was going to need to fix that.

Despite the ambivalent feelings, the snow still disappeared from around her, and once everything was back to normal, she got out of the room.

"Oh, Your Majesty," Gerda, a kind woman who had taken care of the sisters since they were young, was going toward the study when Elsa walked out of it. "I was just going to get you. Supper is ready."

"Yes, thank you," Elsa followed the motherly older woman to the dining room. Excellent, she thought on her way. Anna would be there too.

* * *

Alas, Anna didn't show up for dinner. After waiting for a while Elsa interrogated one of the servants, and she was told Anna had asked for her food to be taken to her room. Elsa couldn't help but think maybe her sister wanted to avoid her. And she couldn't blame her.

With that in mind, Elsa headed to her room. On her way there, she had to pass by Anna's bedroom. When she got into view of it, she noticed Kristoff and her sister talking outside of it.

When Anna noticed her, she gave Kristoff a quick kiss on the cheek and sent him away. She then closed her door, not sparing her sister another glance.

Elsa sighed, disappointed. Anna really wanted to avoid her. Resigned to be forever avoided, she continued her way into her own room.

* * *

After a restless night, Elsa emerged from her quarters ready to tackle the day. What she hadn't expected was for the day to tackle her, starting full force with one her advisors rushing her way.

"Your Majesty, you're awake. Excellent," Kai smiled as he got to her. "We have updates. Do you wish to go into the Council Chamber?"

As he spoke, Elsa's gaze was turned toward her sister's room, which was a few doors to the right of hers. She saw Anna peek outside, and as soon as their eyes met, Anna's eyes covered in surprise and she quickly closed her door.

Elsa furrowed her brows, confused at Anna's behavior. She was soon called back to order by her political advisor.

"Queen Elsa?"

"Sorry?" She drew her gaze back to look at Kai. "Oh, yeah. Uh, yes, let's meet in the Council Chamber. I will ask to have our breakfast taken there so we can work."

She decided to push her sister to the back of her mind. For now, she had a kingdom to take care of.


	3. Chapter 3

Sitting in the same places they had occupied the day before, the three councilmembers and Elsa were reunited in front of a hearty breakfast.

Elsa didn't have the stomach for it, but the advisors didn't seem to have that problem. She gave them a few minutes to fill their plates as she prepared to take notes.

When she was ready, she cleared her throat, at which moment the men's attention was on her, having been interrupted mid-bite.

"Yes," Captain Rapp, who was the one being questioned by the queen's gaze, quickly swallowed his mouthful of bread. "A first group of troops has been sent as reinforcement, along with supplies, medical personnel and information about the Hodgevike army's usual weak points."

Elsa nodded and looked at Ivan, who was lost shoveling eggs into his mouth, as if he would never eat again. Kai, who was actually paying attention to the conversation nudged the financial advisor with his elbow. The older man was startled and soon noticed all eyes were on him.

Elsa lifted an eyebrow, amused. "Ivan, what did you find out?"

A flustered Ivan set aside his plate to read from his stack of papers as he recounted what he had found out. Once a powerful and strong nation, the kingdom of Hodgevike had been in downfall for the past three years. Rumor had it that irresponsible expenses were frequently incurred by the nobles. This, added to the difficulties they were experiencing with trade as other nations became more competitive, sent the kingdom into a downward spiral. Arendelle had been one of the realms that took over some of that trade in recent negotiations. The people, as they became hungrier, were getting restless, threatening to overthrow the royal family for their inaction in their difficulty.

Kai completed the story, getting Elsa's attention. "My sources say Oddvar is increasingly unstable in his negotiations, and his alliances are falling apart. On the other hand, the size of his ego is only matched by the size of his army. We know his army was once very powerful, but they haven't been a part of any altercation lately. Probably because he hadn't found anyone against whom to use it yet."

Elsa took in the information as they finished their breakfast. After some reflection, she spoke. "It would seem we're dealing with a potentially dangerous army, a highly irresponsible and unstable ruler…"

"Who has decided to blame you for his kingdom's shortcomings," Kai followed her reasoning. "In his mind, Arendelle taking over his business is the reason everything is falling apart around him. Even though we are not the only nation who did so—"

"We are the only nation ruled by a woman," Elsa sat back in her chair. The picture was becoming clearer, but what to do next was not.

They all shrugged in agreement, looking down at their plates, uncomfortable with the implications of her statement. Even though all had been part of the council for several years, having dealt with all sorts of political and diplomatic matters, they had never served for a queen. To different degrees, they could all imagine the sort of contempt that could be held against her. And she could imagine it too.

"He must think that because I'm a girl, my army will crumble beneath his and he will easily regain the sense that his kingdom is powerful and strong," she was not looking at her council anymore but down to the table, as it dawned on her. "He thinks we're an easy target."

"He may think that, Your Majesty," Erik said, making her meet his gaze. "But we will show him he's wrong for underestimating you," he gave her a small smile, which couldn't but soften her own hardened expression.

"I appreciate that," she nodded. "We shall reconvene in three hours with the rest of the council so we can work on what should be done next. Thank you for your work."

As the advisors left, Elsa sat forward in her chair, her elbows on the table and her chin resting on her knuckles as she contemplated the situation. Egotistical men with a goal in their mind were ready to do anything to reach it. She had seen that in Hans. Elsa shuddered at the thought. She hoped this situation wouldn't push her as far as he had.

* * *

Elsa needed to clear her mind before getting back to work. She got out of the Council Chamber, and as she did, two servants scurried in to clear it. Elsa also noticed Anna at the end of the hall talking with Kristoff. Perfect, she would be able to talk to her, Elsa thought. But as soon as Anna noticed her, the younger woman took her boyfriend's hand and disappeared with him into another corridor.

 _Oh, no,_ she thought. They were going to talk about this now.

"Anna! Wait!" Elsa exclaimed as she hurried after them.

Anna reappeared in the hall, making Elsa stop. Anna did a double take, visibly confused.

"Me?"

Elsa narrowed her eyes. The way Anna was acting, holding her hands tightly, as if she didn't want to take up too much space, looking at everything but at Elsa… And then it dawned on her. The coronation party. The first time they had seen each other in so long. When Anna had feared even talking to her and risk being rejected once more.

Elsa's heart broke at the realization. Anna was repeating an old pattern to protect herself… from her.

"Yes, you," Elsa gave her a small smile, her eyes softening. She approached her little sister slowly.

Anna looked around the corridor, unsure of what to do. She had thought Elsa wanted to be left alone, that she was angry at the way Anna had pushed her… But she didn't look angry.

"You're avoiding me," Elsa stated, standing in front of Anna.

"I— uh…" it was if Anna was looking for answers everywhere, unable to meet her sister's eyes.

"Did I do something wrong?"

"You? No, not at all," Anna shook her head energetically.

"Then what is it?"

"I… I thought you wouldn't want to see me after what I said," Anna was finally able to face her sister. Her eyes were full of regret.

"About you wanting me to be safe? Oh, Anna," Elsa finally broke and threw her arms around her sister. "We disagreed, but that doesn't mean I don't want to see you."

Anna sighed, relieved by her sister's embrace. She also tightened her arms around Elsa's slightly cold frame. "I overreacted, didn't I?"

Elsa was now the one tormented by guilt. "I _was_ harsh. It was a sore spot for me, but I shouldn't have directed that frustration at you." And she could never blame Anna for reacting like she did, not after all those years forcing her to be alone at the other side of the door, thinking it was because she had done something wrong.

The younger sister took Elsa into her arms again. They had already had some version of this conversation a few times. The only good answer now was the fact that they were able to hold each other close in a warm hug, now that they were on the same side of the door.

Elsa held on tightly. "We'll get better at this. You'll see. But never think I don't want to talk to you. You don't have to hesitate to reach out," she added for good measure.

They both smiled. When they broke apart, Elsa decided to prove to her sister how much she did value her input, even if they didn't always see eye to eye.

"And about the security… I promise I'll think about it. I don't promise I'll accept it," she was quick to clarify. "But I'll consider it seriously."

Anna nodded. "That's all I'm asking."

"Now, I think we both need some cheering up. How about we take Olaf to the village and play around with the children?"

Anna gave a face-splitting smile which had Elsa laughing. "Yes! Let's go get ready!"

* * *

Her heart lighter now that she had cleared things up with Anna and had spent some time out of the castle, Elsa made her way once again to her place at the head of the table at the Council Chamber, but this time councilmen took up the better part of both sides of it. They included a few military members and nobles who had been trained in economics and politics. Most had been part of the council since her father's reign.

Everybody stood. She nodded solemnly, her gaze traveling over all the familiar faces.

"Gentlemen," she said before seating down.

"Your Majesty," they bowed their heads and sat too.

"I suppose you have all been briefed?"

Kai, who was now to Elsa's right, was the one to answer. "They have."

"Good. Then, I have a few questions for you to discuss in order to find the best course of action regarding this threat."

She asked her first question and the debate began. As usual, she took the backseat during the discussion. She only intervened if they veered off track or if something wasn't clear. It was her usual course of action to hear them debate and then make her decision based on their opinions.

Once she felt she had all the information she needed regarding a specific issue, she passed onto the next question. The debate was long and heated at times, and Elsa spent the time taking notes and trying to make her mind up.

By the end of it, she had decided that King Oddvar's remark should indeed be considered as a declaration of war, not only because of the message itself, but because of the attacks on Arendelle's army.

Regarding whether the issue should be handled politically or on the field, the room was divided. Some were fervent supporters of the diplomatic approach in order to spare as many lives as possible, especially since it was now the beginning of winter, which was not the most favorable of seasons to fight. While the others thought that, since Oddvar was already using military force against them, that was the only reasonable answer.

Pondering over this, Elsa decided to try the diplomatic approach first, considering the idea to send her army into war too great a risk for now. That option would only be contemplated as a last resort if all other avenues failed. Nonetheless, this would not mean that they wouldn't be in defense mode. The military presence at the borders would be heightened. But active attack responses would be held-off until further notice.

As she communicated her decision to the councilmembers, some grumbled, but they all deemed the compromise adequate.

Before the meeting ended, she asked, "Does anyone have anything else they wanted to add?"

At this, Captain Finn, a fit man with short dark brown hair and a moustache, nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty. If I may," he waited for her nod and he continued. "Even if your first move doesn't involve more military intervention, allow me to take the chance to invite you to the Arendelle army headquarters. I think a visit from their queen would be appreciated. And you could also have a better idea of what we're capable of." He was the head of the training center, and he firmly believed the monarchs, who had the title of Commander of the army, should know their troops.

She thought about it and realized she hadn't visited the headquarters since she was crowned. She had a few times before, accompanying her father. It was indeed an important part of her job. "Believe me Captain, I know what you're capable of, and you have all my trust. But that is a very good idea," she responded with a nod. "We shall arrange that soon."

Elsa wrote a small note in her schedule regarding the plan and it was quickly out of her mind as she moved onto other affairs. She still had no idea how much this visit was going to change the course of her life.


	4. Chapter 4

A couple of days later, both Elsa and Anna arrived at the Arendelle army headquarters. Captain Finn Olson, who was responsible for training, welcomed them warmly at the entrance of the stronghold.

After they passed through the wooden gates guarded by military personnel, they walked into an immense open courtyard that constituted a large part of the training center. Target and horse-riding practice areas occupied most of the space. It was flanked on both sides by a stone wall, and to the back there was the main stone and wood structure that housed the soldiers. There were also other training facilities inside that were used for close contact combat practice, among other things. Despite the beginning of winter, the soldiers were still training outside.

It was an impressive fortress. As everywhere else in Arendelle, the kingdom's official crest — a golden-yellow crocus with three petals and two leaves — as well as Arendelle's colors — green, purple and yellow — were integral parts of the architectural design.

After a quick explanation of what was going on in the courtyard, the captain gave the sisters a quick tour of the inside of the building, showing off the tactical meeting rooms and the armory. Finally, he took them to a balcony on the second floor, which oversaw the exterior training area.

"Shall we see a demonstration of what they can do?" he asked the sisters, visibly proud of his soldiers and of the training center.

"Of course," Elsa replied.

The captain proceeded to bark out orders, which were quickly followed by the soldiers.

The sisters were fascinated by the way they organized and worked together as one.

First, they demonstrated close quarter combat, paring up and fighting each other with practice wooden swords. Once one was considered to be down, the winner went on to fight another victor.

Despite of the fact that they all wore the same uniform — greenish robes slightly decorated with the crocus, a pair of white gloves, dark boots and green hats with long columnar shapes and visors — one soldier stood out to Elsa. At first, she just noticed the soldier seemed slightly smaller than the rest, and was quickly vanquishing enemies. Then, she realized it was a woman.

Elsa's attention was immediately drawn to her. It was not only her presence there that intrigued her, but also the way she fought. A few minutes into the demonstration, the queen found herself only seeing her. The soldier seemed determined, always focused on what she was doing, making her eyebrows dip in a way that gave her a dangerous quality. And Elsa couldn't take her eyes away from her.

She had short auburn hair, basically deep red. She wasn't as tall or as muscular as a lot of the boys, but she compensated with grace and agility.

By the time only about half of the soldiers were still fighting, Elsa spoke over the sounds of grunting and of wood hitting wood. "There's a woman in your team," she said, her eyes glued on the object of her attention.

"Yes, Katherine. General Anderson's daughter. Great soldier. Just finished her basic training," Finn answered.

Elsa nodded. That explained it. She was the daughter of one of the most appreciated members of the Arendellian military. After all, a female soldier was basically unheard of.

"She seems like a great soldier," Anna added.

"She is. Has to be in order to be part of Your Majesty's army," Olson said reverentially. "Unfortunately, she probably won't make it out of patrol and onto actual battle."

"Why?" Elsa finally glanced at the captain.

"It was hard enough for her to make her place in training. Out in the field of battle it's another game. I don't see the boys trusting her enough for it to work."

Elsa felt her temper rise. That again? "I expect my troops to be able to work together. If they've made it through training and proved themselves worthy, I want them to be a part of our defenses."

"In theory, we do. But this is not something we're used to. It doesn't help that there's a lot of talk of her having only gotten in because of her father's position."

When the captain began to feel the cold emanating from the monarch, he took a small step away from her and decided to keep to himself the fact that he expected her to finish training to please her dad and then find herself a husband.

"But she's as qualified as everyone else," Elsa stated, actively trying to keep her hands from creating frost.

"Yes."

"And she's going to keep patrolling as if she was still in training even though she could be out there doing so much more?"

Olson shrugged. "I guess."

Elsa went back to looking at the young woman who kept defeating enemies with a fierceness that both inspired her and did other confusing things to her. As a general rule, she abhorred violence, but she was captivated by how Katherine moved with so much precision and grace, how she relentlessly delivered blow after blow to take other soldiers down. It made her wonder what she could do with a real sword. And she wouldn't get to prove herself in the battlefield? What a shame.

* * *

By the end of a relatively calm week at the Arendelle castle, Elsa and Anna took some time to take a stroll around the village. As it often happened, the calm outing quickly turned into a competition. This time, they wanted to find out who was quickest to climb one of the now snow-covered hills near the castle. After the first snowfall, the winter season had officially begun. By now, snow was accumulating all over the kingdom.

"I did not cheat," Elsa said as she and her sister walked back into the castle to get a cup of hot chocolate. Both of their faces were flushed with the effort, and the mirth in their eyes was unmistakable.

Today, Elsa had traded her usual attire for pants, boots and a fitted long-sleeved shirt she had also made out of ice. They were in the same ice blue tones and matched the style of her Snow Queen dress but were much more suitable for a day playing in the snow.

"I'm not saying you cheated," Anna corrected. "I'm just saying…"

That's all Elsa heard before noticing the two soldiers that, as usual, were stationed at the main entrance. What was noteworthy this time was that the one standing on the right side happened to be Katherine. The queen's eyes locked on her as she walked by the soldier. Her attention was so taken by Katherine that she didn't hear the rest of her sister's sentence.

Anna realized Elsa's attention was elsewhere and noted that she was staring at the soldier. "Elsa?" Anna's voice finally pierced through the fog of her sister's attention once the soldier was out of view.

"That was Katherine," Elsa said, still as in a daze. She was mesmerized by the young woman for some reason. Images of her in battle had intruded her thoughts the entire week.

"Yeah, I've seen her around the castle," Anna said. "It's sad that they won't let her do anything else."

"Yeah…" is all Elsa managed as an idea started to brew in her mind.

As they drank their hot chocolate in the library, they were curled up in different sofas, Anna taking the one closest to the fireplace. The room was vast, and the floor to ceiling bookcases towered over them. They lined most of the walls, except for the two windows that let light into the room, the fireplace, and the space that was occupied by a portrait depicting Elsa holding the orb and scepter at her coronation, as that space was traditionally reserved for the portrait of the current monarch.

Anna observed her sister for a while, intrigued. Elsa's body might have been in the room, but her mind was clearly elsewhere.

Suddenly, the older sister spoke, but she still didn't seem quite present there, her gaze lost somewhere outside one of the windows. "Do you believe it's possible that after just seeing a person for the first time you can feel an… instant connection? Just know they're going to be someone important in your life?"

Anna lifted her gaze to the ceiling, her mouth twisting as she remembered. "I… uh, well that's kind of what happened with me and Hans?"

Elsa slumped back in her chair and sighed. "Right," she said in a defeated tone. The fall back into reality was a brutal one.

Anna looked at her sideways. "Sorry."

"No. You're right. It's insane. You can't know anything about a person you haven't even talked to." She thought back to her reaction to Hans' and Anna's marriage project. Where was that rational, coherent part of herself?

"I mean, I wasn't really thinking straight. I was so desperate for love…"

"Anna, that's not—" Elsa turned in her sofa to face her sister.

"No, it's true. Though, call me a romantic, but I believe it's possible." She shifted in her seat to face Elsa too and her eyes grew wide with excitement. "Wait... Why do you ask? Oh my God, did that happen to you?"

Elsa, trying to keep from blushing, rolled her eyes. It wasn't that hard really, her lower-than-normal body temperature made it hard for heat to stain her cheeks. "Me? No. Just wondering."

Anna narrowed her eyes, not believing a word. But before she could probe her further, Elsa changed the subject.

"But you know, I have been thinking about what you and the council said. About me needing personal security."

Anna's eyebrows shot upward. She had thought the matter had been settled when she'd seen how uncomfortable Elsa had seemed with the idea.

"I'm ready to reconsider. And I think I have just the person for the job."

It was perfect. Elsa was now looking for a way to talk to Katherine, even get to know her. And the soldier's skills were clearly not being put to good use in the military. Maybe Elsa could help her with that. Plus, she had a diplomatic journey coming up. She would require some guards to go with her anyway. And why not take the pretty soldier whose face she hadn't been able to shake from her mind for days?

* * *

"But we have much more qualified soldiers for the job, Your Majesty," Captain Olson insisted. He was standing in the Great Hall before the queen, who was sitting in her throne.

"Are you saying she's not qualified?"

"No, but—"

"She's a woman."

Olson said nothing, he just looked downward at the red carpeting covering the dais on which the throne was situated.

"Have her come meet me so I can propose this to her. I mean, I don't even know if she would want this."

"Our men— our _soldiers_ always do what they're told to do."

"Just do it, okay?" Elsa suddenly became nervous. What if Katherine didn't want to do this? The possibility had frost covering her hands. She realized how much she hoped that the young woman would accept her proposal. And, more importantly, how devastating it would be if she didn't.

_When did this become so important?_

"Yes, Your Majesty," he bowed before turning and walking out of the room, leaving Elsa to try to get ahold of herself.

* * *

A couple of hours later, after having worked in her study for some time to distract herself, Elsa was back in her throne, waiting for Katherine. As she sat there, there was a heavy feeling in her stomach. She didn't realize how nervous she was getting until she noticed she was holding onto the arm of the throne with a vice grip, and there was ice forming on it. She took a deep breath and let go, trying to calm herself.

At that moment, Kai stepped into the room. "Your Majesty, the soldier you requested."

Elsa nodded and stood up as he signaled for Katherine to walk in.

She did so with a confidence that threw Elsa. Most people who walked in to meet her, especially those summoned by her, always did so fidgeting or nervously. She didn't see any of that in the young woman who was making her way towards her.

"Your Majesty," Katherine bowed solemnly as Elsa sat. "How may I be of service?" She asked once she was upright.

As the queen had done every time that she'd seen the soldier, Elsa was immediately drawn to Katherine's facial features, but this time she took the time to study them in detail. She was pretty. Beautiful. Her hazel eyes denoted kindness, but her professional and neutral stance revealed a degree of severity and danger. Elsa had seen it during training. The young woman would be ruthless against an enemy.

"I understand you just finished training," Elsa said in a cool tone.

"That's correct."

"How would you judge your close contact combat abilities?"

"Excellent, Your Majesty. As all my other abilities."

"Good, good," Elsa shifted in place. She was nervous again. "I wanted to propose something to you. Of course, you'd be free to decide whether to accept or not…" she realized she was dangerously close to rambling, and so gathered herself. "I would like for you to be my personal security guard, if you're interested."

"Excuse me?" Katherine was thrown by the request. For starters, she wasn't used to being asked her opinion. And she had not expected to be offered that kind of trust so soon out of training.

Elsa's heart fell, but she tried to keep her features neutral. "I understand it's not the most exciting of jobs but—"

"No, no. It would be an honor, Your Majesty," she bowed her head slightly, so she didn't see Elsa's eyes light up.

"Excellent. We shall go over the details later. You're dismissed," Elsa said, trying to keep her lips from forming a smile.

Katherine nodded solemnly, turned around, and left the room. As the clink of the sword on her hip and the sound of her boots on the tile faded, Elsa sat back in her throne with a smile on her face, oddly giddy. She was hopelessly intrigued by Katherine. How she had gotten where she had, how she had shaped her destiny. Suddenly, Elsa knew that she would be ready to do just about anything to help her along. But something told her that Katherine didn't need anyone's help to accomplish what she wanted.

As it happened, Katherine was probably the one who was most likely to help Elsa along to get where she wanted.

After a moment of being lost in her thoughts, the queen realized some form of precipitation was softly falling upon the Great Hall. She was well used to the heavy snow that came when she was scared or the storm that brewed when anger took over, but this snow was light and it sparkled with the light that entered from the windows.

Fascinated, she reached out to touch it, and she found that it melted as soon as it came into contact with her skin, so fast that she didn't even feel it. She looked up again. It looked as if a light drizzle of diamond dust was falling from the ceiling.

She concentrated and was quickly able to make it stop. Huh. This was new. What could it mean?


	5. Chapter 5

After the meeting with the queen, Katherine took her horse and rode it on the path that led from the castle to the army headquarters. The path was flanked by imposing fir trees, rising above her like walls. The scenery was a beautiful one at this time of year, when just enough snow had fallen to stick to the trees and cover the ground lightly. But Katherine wasn't interested in it. She was busy thinking over what had just happened.

She rode her horse at a trot, not particularly in a hurry to get anywhere. Katherine wondered about what had made the queen choose her. She had seen the royal sisters when they had gone visit the fortress, but the soldiers hadn't been told that the queen was there to get herself a personal guard. Katherine didn't necessarily outperform all of her fellow soldiers. Some, but not all. Why her?

Usually, she wouldn't even have to think about it. One just didn't say no to their queen. But she had given her the possibility, and something about the way the position had been offered to her made her feel the queen genuinely wanted her to weigh her options, and she appreciated that.

She was honored, of course, and she knew the privilege of occupying such an important position, but the queen had said it herself, it wasn't the most exciting of jobs, not to mention it didn't get her any closer to going out into the battlefield to prove herself any time soon. That was what she had been preparing for her whole life.

Katherine dismounted her horse once she arrived at the gates of what had become her home in the last couple of years, and signaled for a guard to let her in.

She made her way to the stables, where she left Storm, her horse. He had been a gift from her father on her first day of basic training and had been her faithful companion since. He was a magnificent stallion, black with a white muzzle.

As she exited the stables, Alexander approached her.

He was an imposing man, tall with broad shoulders. And he was as strong as he was kind. He was one of her closest friends. More than that, he had become a brother to her.

"Hey, Anderson, you in trouble? Heard the captain sent for you," he said as they walked side by side toward the main building.

"It was actually the queen who was looking for me."

"Damn, what did you do?"

"She saw I kicked all of your butts, so she offered me to be part of her personal guard."

Surprise covered his face. "Wow, that's impressive."

"Yeah, I'm not so sure about that," she shrugged.

He threw her a confused sideways glance, thrown off by her seeming indifference. "What are you talking about? Don't you know how much the queen's opinion is worth around here? It's gold!"

She watched him carefully, intrigued. "I'm aware, but being a glorified bodyguard? That's not exactly what I signed up for. Would you do it?"

"In a heartbeat," he nodded. "Yes, I get it, you want to go out into the field," he rolled his eyes. "We all do. But do you know how many rookie soldiers they let out into battle? None if they can help it. We're the ones on patrol and on guard duty at the castle. That's our job for at least a year after training. But if the queen trusts you with her life and you do a good job…"

Maybe he had a point. She hadn't thought of it that way. As they approached the doors, she asked him, "Are you having dinner with us?"

His eyes lit up. "Nope. I'm done for the day. I'm going home."

"All right. Say hello to Brigida and little Henry for me, will you?" she smiled at him.

She loved seeing him so happy, which was always the case when he thought about his wife and his baby boy.

"Will do. And listen, think seriously about that offer, okay? This could be very good for you."

"I will," she nodded. "See you tomorrow."

"Bye," he waved at her as he walked off.

As Katherine washed up before dinner, she thought over what Alex had said. Maybe working for the queen wouldn't be such a bad thing. At least it would be a change from the usual patrolling and guarding at the castle. She wasn't an idiot. She knew that some of her superiors didn't think she belonged in the battlefield, so she figured a chance to prove herself otherwise couldn't hurt. And the queen was giving her the chance to do just that.

Perhaps this wouldn't be such a bad thing.

* * *

The day after their first official meeting, Katherine was back in the castle. As she arrived at the Entrance Hall, she asked one of the servants to announce her presence to the queen. She didn't have to wait long for Elsa to arrive.

"Good morning, Your Majesty," she bowed as the monarch walked down the stairs.

"Good morning, Katherine," Elsa said with a smile. Her exterior was composed, but she was anxious to hear the soldier's decision.

"I thought about your offer, and it would be an honor to serve as your personal guard."

It took everything from Elsa not to squeal from joy, but a radiant smile did make its way onto her face. It was most uncharacteristic of her to not be able to contain her excitement, but she was just so happy that Katherine had accepted that she couldn't help it. "That's wonderful. Come with me, we'll sort out the details in my study."

Katherine nodded and followed Elsa up the stairs, a small smile playing around her lips at Elsa's obvious joy at her acceptance. Something in her heart fluttered at the idea of the queen being excited about getting Katherine to work for her.

But it couldn't be about Katherine, could it? After all, they didn't even know each other. Then again, why choose her?

/

Elsa led Katherine to her study, where they sat in front of each other at the desk. The soldier took a moment to examine the picture of Agnarr that hung in front of her, above Elsa. The benevolent father figure watching over the young queen. It seemed to be a comforting image.

"So," she started. "What can I do for you, Your Majesty?"

"Well, this was mostly my council's idea…" Elsa told her about the threats, and about the situation with King Oddvar. They also worked out the details of what the soldier's responsibilities were going to be, particularly during the upcoming diplomatic journey.

"Alright. Obviously, things could change along the way, but we can work with this for now."

"I agree," Katherine nodded, finishing her notes.

As she watched the soldier work, Elsa allowed herself to get more personal. "May I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Why did you choose to become a soldier?"

Katherine sat back into her chair and shrugged. "I wanted to feel useful. Help people by protecting them. Keep them safe."

Elsa nodded. Something told her that wasn't the whole story, but she could let it slide. For now.

The soldier looked around the room as silence hung between them. "Anything else I can do for you?"

They were done, really. But Elsa realized that she didn't feel like letting her go just yet. And then something occurred to her. A smile illuminated Elsa's face.

"Actually, there is. I should introduce you to my family."

Katherine looked at her as she folded the piece of parchment and put it in one of her pockets. "Yeah, alright," she couldn't help the half smile that made its way onto her face upon seeing the queen's full one.

* * *

The women made their way over the thin layer of snow that covered their path, and Katherine took everything in. She considered her job begun, so she was on high alert. After passing over the Bridge of Arches that connected the castle to the Arendelle Plaza, they strolled along the main road of the village. As they put more and more distance between them and the castle, the houses were gathered further and further apart, until they found themselves in the inhabited and currently snow-covered slopes. A few fir trees scattered around the mostly vacant area completed the decor.

Olaf spotted Elsa and wobbled hurriedly towards her, excited. As he did so, he noticed she was with someone else. A guard.

Katherine noticed the figure making its way towards them and couldn't believe her eyes. Until now, she had only heard of Elsa's creations, and had never had the chance to see one with her own eyes. She was fascinated seeing the little snowman make his way towards them.

When he reached them, he presented himself to the stranger.

"Hi. I'm Olaf, and I like warm hugs."

"Hi, Olaf, I'm Katherine," she smiled and knelt down to face him.

"You're a soldier," Olaf's eyes widened when he realized he was talking to a woman. "I'd never seen a girl soldier before."

"It's a pretty rare thing," admitted Katherine, shrugging.

"I wonder why it's so rare. All the girls I know are as smart and as strong and as brave as all of the boys I know."

"Beats me. I think it's because that's the way it's always been."

"We should find a way to change that..." He thought about it for a beat and came up empty. "Any ideas?"

Elsa found the exchange adorable, but she decided to save Katherine before Olaf ventured further into the issues regarding their patriarchal heritage.

"Katherine's going to be around for a while, making sure I stay safe."

"So she'll be like your own personal flurry! Always following you around making sure you stay in one piece," Olaf exclaimed.

Elsa laughed at Katherine's perplexed expression as she rose to her feet. "In a way, I guess. Come on, let's go meet Anna and Kristoff."

The couple met them halfway across one of the slopes.

"Hey!" Anna was the first to get to them.

"You know my sister," Elsa gestured toward Anna.

"Yes, Princess Anna. It's a pleasure to meet you," Katherine bowed her head.

"Pleasure's mine, Katherine," Anna beamed. "This is Kristoff, my boyfriend."

"Yes. Arendelle's official Ice Master and Deliverer."

"That's… still not a real thing," Kristoff rolled his eyes.

"Shut up. Yes, it is," Anna insisted.

"In any case, Kristoff will do. A pleasure to meet you, Katherine."

"Likewise."

"He's to be trusted. As long as he treats my sister right, that is," Elsa said. She would've seemed serious if it wasn't for the playful glint that now lit up her gaze.

And before Katherine could think better about it, she was playing along. "Right. In that case, I know how to take care of him, Your Majesty."

"Oh, there's no need. I know a few tricks to keep him in check," Elsa said, struggling to keep a smile from forming.

Kristoff tried to play it cool, but he still gulped. It was not the first time he'd had this conversation with Elsa. Making people sweat wasn't really her thing, but she had gotten damn close to it when she had sat with him to ask him about what his intentions were with her sister. The queen could be quite menacing when they were one on one.

"Don't worry, Katherine. I already know what Elsa has in store for me if I ever mess up." He had to admit it was a pretty good incentive. That was, if he wasn't already ready to make Anna happy for as long as she would let him.

"Ladies, ladies. Leave him alone," Anna rolled her eyes playfully. "I can take care of myself. But that's not the point. The point is, now we know Elsa's going to be safe. Not that she couldn't take care of herself either but… We're just a little more reassured. I trust you won't let anything happen to her, just as she wouldn't let anything happen to me," she threw a loving look at her sister, who was touched.

Then, Elsa chuckled to herself. "Now that I think about it, maybe we should get you one of these too. You're the one always getting into trouble."

"Ha-ha," Anna rolled her eyes and grabbed her sister's hand to pull her up the hill. "Come on, let's go slide."

They all made their way to the top of the slope, where some sleighs had been set up for Elsa, Anna and Kristoff.

"Wait," Elsa said once they were there. First, she got her hands working into creating a few snow mounds along their way, making the ride down a bit more exciting.

Katherine was amazed. It was the first time she saw the queen's magic in action. But she was even more so when Elsa, in a cloud of sparkling flurries, transformed her Snow Queen dress into a similarly styled pants and shirt outfit.

And the surprises didn't stop there. Soon, they were racing down the hill as Katherine watched them from the top. She was captivated seeing the queen, who was always so proper and regal, let herself go in such an innocent child-like manner.

Every time they came back up with their sleighs, Elsa changed the obstacles and trajectory, so they could do it several times without getting tired of it. It also made the competition more exciting. But soon, it was a bit much for Olaf, who kept losing pieces and putting them back on as he glided beside them, sleigh-less.

Katherine observed Olaf as he, holding one of his arm branches in his other hand, walked up the hill to slump down by her side. She was visibly amused by the little snowman. "Everything alright, Olaf?"

"Yeah," he said, putting his arm back in place.

"Must be pretty annoying to always be falling apart."

He thought about it for a moment, with a serious consideration Katherine wasn't expecting.

"I'm just glad I can put myself back together. Like, imagine if I couldn't! I have no bones or anything like that like you guys. I don't know what Elsa was thinking when she made me. I'm not really meant to last. But every time I fall apart, I can build myself back up. It's an opportunity every time to do it in a better way."

"You're a very wise little snowman."

"I also like to think of myself as a love expert," he said, without missing a beat.

"Really?" She chuckled at his candor. "I'll keep that in mind."


	6. Chapter 6

Olaf wandered around the castle on his way to the library . He often went there to look at the illustrated books, since he hadn't learned to read yet. Soon, he encountered Elsa walking through the hallways.

"Hey, Olaf."

"Hello," he smiled, happy to see her. But his smile faded when he noticed something was missing. "Where's Katherine?" He gasped, remembering her role. "Did you lose her? I'll protect you!"

Olaf ran to Elsa wearing a fierce expression, seemingly ready to attack anyone who dared get too close.

Elsa huffed out an endearing laugh. "Whoa, stand down soldier. I'm safe in the castle, it's okay."

"Oh," he said, relaxing his stance. "So, do you only need her around when you go outside?"

"Yeah," she replied uncertainly, wondering where he was getting at.

"Hm." He nodded seriously before throwing her a hopeful look. "Wanna go outside right now?"

Trying to stop herself from grinning, Elsa lifted an eyebrow. "Only so that you can see Katherine again?"

"We can also go take a walk around the market!"

She threw him a knowing look.

"But yeah, it's mostly to see Katherine again," he admitted, matter-of-factly.

Katherine had been working for her for around a week. The soldier was only summoned when Elsa needed to leave the castle. Elsa hadn't gone as far as to make up reasons to see her yet, but the thought had crossed her mind a few times, notably when she had found herself buried under mountains of paperwork.

So, he didn't have to ask twice for her to agree to his idea.

She asked a servant who walked by to have someone fetch Katherine before she motioned to the paper Olaf was holding in one of his twig hands. "What's that?"

"It's my drawing. Wanna see it?"

"I would love to."

Both sides of the paper were used. On one front, Olaf had drawn and colored Elsa, Katherine, Anna, Kristoff, Sven, and himself.

"This is from when we were all on the slopes the other day," he explained proudly.

Elsa chuckled softly, pointing at the image of the soldier. "I love what you did with her hair."

It was drawn in deep red colors, harsh triangular spikes on her head under a seemingly precariously balanced standard-issue soldier hat.

"I had a hard time with it," he conceded. "It reminded me of fire. How can you even draw fire?"

"It does kind of look like fire, doesn't it?" Elsa understood the appeal. It had been one of the first things she had noticed about Katherine. The short auburn hair gave her an aura ablaze with passion and mystery.

"But the good kind of fire. You know, fire can be dangerous when you get too close, but it can also be very warm and captivating."

Warm, captivating and a little dangerous. She couldn't have said it better herself.

"Well, I think you did a great job drawing all of us. And what's over here?" she wondered, turning the page.

On the other side, she found a picture of Katherine tightly hugging Olaf, big goofy smiles on both their faces, a bunch of little pink hearts surrounding them.

Elsa looked at Olaf, touched. It was an adorable image. She couldn't help to be glad that he also seemed to have taken a liking to Katherine already. At least then it wasn't just Elsa who felt… some sort of way about her.

He giggled under her affectionate gaze. "I just feel she must give really warm hugs."

"What makes you say that?" Elsa agreed, but she still wondered what his reasoning was.

"Well, she seems really nice and kind. Or maybe it's her hair again."

Elsa laughed. "Maybe. Come on, let's wait for her outside. And we can show her your lovely drawings when she gets here if you want."

"Yes!" he exclaimed as they started down the hall.

Not long after, when Katherine arrived in the courtyard, he immediately ran toward her.

"Hey Kat!" He waved his arm at her. "Do you mind if I call you Kat? It's just so much shorter than Katherine."

The soldier smiled warmly at the snowman. No one had called her Kat for a while now other than her father, and it brought a cozy feeling to her heart. "Hi Olaf. Yes, you can call me Kat. Your Majesty," she continued, nodding courtly at Elsa. "What can I do for you?"

"We were wondering if you wanted to join us on our walk around the market today."

"Of course. With pleasure."

"I have something to give you first!" Olaf interjected, handing her his work of art.

Katherine took a moment to examine the drawings, light filling her chest even more. It was the most delightful thing she had ever seen. She imagined it would be hard to ever feel down with Olaf around. He seemed to be the epitome of childhood innocence and joy.

"This is lovely, Olaf. Mind if I keep it so I can put it up in my room?"

"Of course, you can!"

"Can I give you a hug for this beautiful gift?"

A high-pitched noise left his mouth. He was visibly elated. "Yes!" he said, jumping into her arms.

Katherine braced herself for how cold he was sure to be, but considering he was made of snow, the shock wasn't as intense as she thought it would be. Magic snow seemed to be less biting than regular snow.

Elsa observed the exchange, again, with utter adoration. She loved how attentive Katherine was to Olaf, and how sweet she was with him. It _did_ look like a really warm hug. Some part of her wondered if she would ever get to test that hypothesis herself.

* * *

As the group strolled towards Arendelle Plaza, Olaf asked a lot of questions, trying to get to know Katherine better, something that Elsa greatly appreciated.

"What do you do when you're not protecting Elsa?"

"Usually I spend most of my downtime training."

"What do you do in training?"

As the soldier went over her routine, Elsa made a mental note to try to find a reason to watch her train at some point. Out of intellectual curiosity, of course.

"Do you think you could teach me how to ride a horse?"

As Olaf continued his interrogation, they soon found themselves in the heart of the village market.

The plaza was filled with colorful stalls selling all sorts of goods. Adults gathered around the vendors with the more essential items, like food and clothing, while children were attracted to the candy and toys.

When the villagers noticed the trio, they gave them a respectful wide berth, usually offering a smile and a bow of the head. They had been left without a sovereign that felt like one of them for such a long time, it was still a nice surprise to see her among themselves.

Katherine appreciated this, because then she didn't have to deal with people getting too close.

When the group passed in front of the bakery, Mr. Halverson, Arendelle's most prolific baker, spotted them through his window. Quickly, he sent his daughter, Brigida, outside with some succulent chocolate brownies for them.

"Your Majesty!"

Katherine tensed up, ready to face any potential danger, as she turned back to see who was calling for Elsa. She relaxed when recognized it was Alex's wife who rushed after them.

"Your Majesty," she bowed customarily and offered the confections. "A gift from my father."

"That's really generous of you. But please, let me pay for it," Elsa insisted, ever the humble ruler.

"Not a chance. My father would take it as a personal offense."

"Well, I wouldn't want to offend your father. Thank you very much."

Brigida beamed. "Have a lovely day," she directed at the group before going back to work.

"Here you go, Olaf," Elsa handed a brownie to the snowman, who took it and immediately munched happily on it.

"Katherine?" Elsa offered a piece to the soldier, who shook her head.

"Thank you. Maybe later."

As they kept walking, Katherine went back to doing her job, watching the crowd as she walked alongside Elsa, when she heard the most sinful little sound coming from the queen. When she glanced her way, she witnessed how Elsa bit into the pastry with absolute gusto, eyes closed in pleasure.

Katherine felt her heart skip a beat at the sight. But her duty quickly called her to focus, forcing her to look away from such a captivating scene.

As she directed her attention back at their surroundings, trying to suppress a grin, Katherine had to comment. "You like it?"

Elsa nearly blushed. She had almost forgotten Katherine was right there. It was easy for her to let herself go when she was with her. Even if they had only hung out a couple of times in the last few days, the soldier had quickly become a pleasant presence in her life. A presence she was starting to crave.

It was most unusual for Elsa, who tended to prefer quiet moments alone. She wasn't one to seek the company of others. Normally, being around people was rather tiring. She always felt like she had to be who they expected her to be.

With Katherine it was different. There was no role being played there. She could say nothing for an entire outing and Katherine would quietly accompany her. She could complain about work and the soldier would offer a friendly ear. She didn't feel the weight of expectation, the need to perform. It might have had something to do with the fact that Katherine was paid to do just that, and Elsa could live with that.

Even if secluded corner of her heart did want to believe that there could be more someday.

"Yeah. Really, you should try it."

"I will once we get back. I wouldn't want to get distracted with how good it seems to be."

Elsa rolled her eyes playfully. "Hush."

Katherine smiled. It was hard to focus on her job when Elsa was being this cute.

* * *

Elsa was nervous. She was in the Great Hall, sitting in her throne, lost in the way the early morning light filtered through the window onto the tile of the ballroom. She and her entourage were leaving soon in order to take as much advantage as possible of the daylight that faded rapidly at this time of year.

She got restless as she waited for the carriage that was to take her to Stanheim to be ready. It wasn't the first time she was visiting the neighboring kingdom and she was going there to negotiate a matter of little importance. Her advisors had told her it was more of a diplomatic matter. Apprehension tightened her ribcage nonetheless.

"Your Majesty?" Katherine peeked inside the room, breaking Elsa out of her reverie.

"Yes." The queen looked up, sitting up straighter.

"Your carriage is ready, for whenever you are."

"Thank you. I'll be there in a moment."

Katherine nodded and left.

Elsa felt as if a lead weight had dropped in her stomach. She knew what was to come. She braced herself for it as she stepped out of the room and made her way to the Entrance Hall. There, in the warm light of dawn, waited for her Anna and Kristoff.

She hated having to say goodbye.

As soon as she saw her, Anna rushed to hug her sister. "Oh, Elsa, I'm going to miss you so much."

Elsa tightened the embrace, knowing what was going through Anna's head. It was going through hers too. It was that fateful day they saw their parents for the last time. In that exact same room.

The older sister glanced at the portrait of her parents with a younger Anna and Elsa that hung on the wall. "It's okay, Anna. It's not far. I won't even be gone a week. Besides, I do have some extra security now."

"I can't help worrying."

The older sister broke the embrace to be able to look at Anna, but their hands remained entwined.

"I know. But it'll be alright. I promise," Elsa squeezed her sister's hands in reassurance.

Elsa then moved to give Kristoff a quick hug, whispering into his ear, "Make sure she stays busy, okay?"

He nodded as they broke apart. "Take care."

Elsa looked around the room and smiled to her sister before turning to leave. She left to meet those who were making the journey with her.

Her carriage was secured by five guards, including Katherine. Another carriage was to follow Elsa's, and it would take Kai and two young apprentices who were on their way to becoming part of the royal council.

Elsa stepped into her carriage and slumped in her seat. These were going to be a long couple of days.

* * *

After two full days of traveling, Elsa and company were warmly welcomed by the Stanheim castle staff. As it was after supper, it appeared it was unthinkable for the royal family to receive their guests themselves.

It was well enough, Elsa thought. She was exhausted and wasn't really up to diplomatic meetings at the moment.

A nice young man showed them the way to their rooms. There was a whole wing reserved on the second floor for guests, and that was where they would be staying.

Even in the candlelight, the castle was awe-inspiring. A lot of dark blue and gold details lined the halls, and the doors were all deep brown wood.

Soon, Elsa was in her room, trying to get some much-needed sleep. The bed took up a significant part of the space. There was a window on one side, in front of which hung thick curtains in the same hue of blue as the carpeting in the corridors.

It was always unnerving for Elsa to be far away from home. As much as her room had been her prison, it had also been all she had known for the majority of her life. Needless to say, to find herself in a foreign land, in an unknown bed was always a difficult experience. So, despite the fatigue brought on by the traveling, sleep evaded her. She abandoned trying to find it after a while of tossing and turning in favor of reading.

The hearth in her room was still burning strong, so she curled up on the sofa placed to the side of the fire with a book. Just as she was turning the page, a sound caught her attention. She lifted her head and listened carefully… There it was. Someone was screaming something. It couldn't be coming from far. The sound was muffled, so she couldn't make out the words, but she could guess the walls were thick. She thought she should check it out. Maybe somebody needed help.

She put her slippers on and cautiously padded out of her room. By then, everything was silent. She looked to the left and then to the right, noticing that there was nobody else around in the dimly lit hallway. She waited a beat and then heard it again. It was coming from her right, so she went that way.

As she got closer to the room immediately to the right of hers, she heard it again.

"No, no!"

It had been quick, but she realized that was where the sound was coming from. It was Katherine's room.

Elsa hesitated at the door. There was only silence again. A part of herself was urging her to open the door and go make sure the soldier was alright. But another part wasn't sure she should. After all, there was a professional distance between them. This would most likely be a vulnerable and intimate moment for Katherine. Would she want Elsa there?

Elsa lowered her gaze to the floor and noticed ice was spreading beneath her feet. She sighed. She probably wasn't the best person to comfort anyone anyway.

She still lingered there for a few minutes, listening. She found herself unable to leave, so she sat down, her back to the wall, just to the side of the door. She would only wait for another little while to make sure everything was okay before she went back to bed.

* * *

Katherine got up at the crack of dawn despite of the restless night plagued with nightmares, her internal clock having been conditioned to do so during the three years of her training.

She got ready quickly, preparing to tackle her workday. This morning, her first task was to assume her post in front of the queen's room to wait for her to go to breakfast.

Katherine was soon walking out of her room to do just that. She was surprised, as she did her usual visual sweep of the corridor, to find the young woman asleep on the floor between their rooms.

Elsa was curled up on the floor, laying on her side. Her back was to the wall and her knees pressed up to her chest, her hands working as a pillow. She was wearing a dark purple sleeping gown.

Katherine was immediately concerned, so she knelt down to wake her, but before doing so, she noticed Elsa was snoring. It was very faint, but it was there, and it was adorable. The soldier took a moment to observe the peaceful features of the monarch.

Despite of the fact that Elsa more often than not showed herself kind and in a good mood, there was always a frown covering her young face ever so slightly, as if her responsibilities were permanently weighing her eyebrows downward. But now, there was an endearing lack of self-control in the way her mouth hung slightly open and her forehead was free of creases. Her icy blonde hair was in a braid, but a few lose strands had found their way down her face. Katherine repressed the urge to move them aside.

Instead, she slightly shook Elsa's shoulder, trying to wake her. "Queen Elsa?"

She slowly came to. As the fog of sleep gradually dissipated, she opened her eyes, and was startled to see Katherine so close, staring at her. She also realized she was on the floor.

"Are you alright?" Worry clouded the soldier's eyes, and Elsa slowly got to a sitting position, confused. And sore.

"Yeah, I—" as she stretched her stiff neck, she paused for a moment, then everything from the night before came rushing back. _Oh, right_.

"Let me help you up," Katherine got to her feet and offered her hand to Elsa, who took it. Since she wasn't wearing her uniform gloves, Katherine fought to suppress a shiver. She was always surprised by how cold her skin was.

"Thank you."

Once Elsa was standing, the soldier gazed at her with a small smile. There it was again, that barely perceptible frown that came with consciousness.

"Mind telling me what had you sleeping on the floor? I grant you it wasn't as comfortable as back home, at least mine wasn't, which is saying something, because I sleep on a cot, but—"

"I couldn't sleep."

"Oh. Sorry to hear that."

They both stood there doing and saying nothing long enough for it to get awkward. It didn't help that Elsa was staring at Katherine, as if she was trying to find something in her face.

Katherine clasped her hands behind her back, suddenly self-conscious, and looked around the hallway. "Need anything else?"

As if snapped out of a trance, Elsa shook her head and looked away. "No, thank you," she stepped closer to her door and opened it. "I will be out shortly so we can go get breakfast."

Katherine nodded and assumed her post right outside Elsa's room, wondering what the queen had been up to the night before.


	7. Chapter 7

Once Elsa was ready, they made their way to where one of the servants had told them the prince was waiting for them. In the light of day, the castle looked even more striking than the night before. It was similar in style to the Arendelle castle except for the color scheme, which showcased more opulence with its golden tones. A lot of light came in from the tall windows on one side of the dining area, and a dark wood table surrounded by a dozen chairs filled the room.

There was a young man waiting for them. Prince Stefan, Elsa presumed as she noticed the fancy deep red suit he was wearing. He had light brown hair and soft features that corresponded perfectly to the prince charming standards. He was waiting for Elsa, and when she arrived, he flashed a brilliant smile and bowed his head. "Queen Elsa, it's an honor to meet you, and a pleasure to have you as our guest."

She gave a small nod and smiled politely. "The pleasure's mine."

"You'll have to excuse my parents' absence. They had business abroad. Come, sit." When she was seated, he took his place right in front of her.

Out of the corner of her eye, Elsa noticed Katherine making her way to stand at attention by the wall.

"What are you doing? Come sit with us."

Katherine's eyes widened, mirroring the prince's expression, who was as surprised as she was by Elsa's offer.

"That's not my place, Your Majesty," she said solemnly.

"Nonsense," Elsa turned back to look at Stefan, who still had surprise covering his features. "You don't mind, do you?"

It was as outrageous a thing as he had ever heard. But he was on a mission to woe her, so as she wished, it was done. "Not at all," he said with a smile that he hoped passed as genuine.

For Katherine, it did not. But as Elsa urged her to take the place at her side with a radiant smile, she couldn't but to oblige, albeit awkwardly.

"I had never seen a servant share a queen's table," Stefan remarked as they were being served.

"I guess we're more liberal in Arendelle. Also, she's not a servant, she's my personal guard."

"Yeah, we don't see that very often either. A female soldier. That's quite extraordinary," he nodded to Katherine, who didn't bother to meet his gaze, occupying herself with her breakfast.

"It really is," Elsa turned to face her and gazed at her with so much genuine admiration it had Katherine averting her eyes. She wasn't used to getting so much attention, especially not from royalty.

Ignoring what was happening in front of him between the two women, Stefan decided to get down to business. He had forty-eight hours to try to win Elsa's heart. He was going to take full advantage of every moment he had with her.

"It's truly an honor to be in the presence of the ruler of such a rapidly developing realm…" He proceeded to list what his advisors had told him were the strengths of Arendelle and of its monarch.

As soon as they had walked in, Elsa knew this was yet suitor trying to get her to marry him. He had been on seduction mode as soon as he saw her. And now he was doing what every other one before him had. Really, it was remarkable how many there had been in the last few months. And how their methods were sensibly all the same. He was probably about to ask her what she did with her free time.

So, she answered the questions politely and mindlessly, and busied herself by glancing at Katherine every so often as the soldier ate in silence. She was trying to figure out if something had happened to her, and if that was what haunted her in her sleep.

Katherine was aware the queen kept looking at her. Elsa was not being very subtle, but she acted as if she didn't notice.

Katherine was intrigued by the fact Elsa didn't really seem interested in this prince. Must be interesting, having men basically throw themselves at you, she thought. Maybe she was used to it? Who knew. But Katherine was even more baffled by the fact that Elsa seemed to find her more alluring than the rich, powerful man that sat in front of them. What was that about?

* * *

Two days of Prince Stefan shamelessly hitting on Elsa and a contract renewal later, the queen and her entourage were back on their way to Arendelle.

On a couple of occasions during their stay in Stanheim, as Katherine had watched over Elsa while Stefan had tried to conquer her, she had felt the urge to interfere. Couldn't he see how uninterested she clearly was? He was either clueless or way too determined. But she never gave into her impulse. All on her own, Elsa had swiftly shut him down every single time with practiced ease.

Halfway through the second and last day of traveling, Elsa stared out of the carriage at the snowy landscape and sighed. This being the fourth day in one week that they traveled through the forest, the frost covered conifers were becoming redundant. While she was excited by the fact that they were finally getting back home, she felt as if the last hours between them and Arendelle would last forever.

As she tried to think of a way to distract herself, the carriage stopped.

"Your Majesty," Katherine opened the door. "We're going to have the horses rest for a moment and drink some water. Want to stretch your legs?"

"Yeah, thanks." She took the gloved hand the soldier offered her and stepped out of the carriage.

They had stopped by the tree line besides a lake. The snow-covered mountains dominated the sights over the pines. It was a breathtaking sight with the sun shining brightly over the ice-covered water and the infinite shades of white covering almost everything.

As the other guards took care of the horses, the women walked along the lake.

"I hope you're not getting too bored on this trip," Elsa said with a small smile.

"What do you mean?" Katherine asked, gripping her shield with her left hand, opposite Elsa. They were in unfamiliar territory, so she wanted to be prepared for anything.

"I mean that you're a soldier. You must have an exciting life. More exciting than following me around in diplomatic missions and endlessly traveling through the forest."

Katherine threw Elsa a sideways glance. "I really appreciate this opportunity. It's an honor to guard the queen."

Elsa smiled and rolled her eyes playfully. "No, really."

"Really!" Katherine laughed. "I was in charge of patrolling back in Arendelle. As important as it is, there's not much excitement there. And I didn't get to travel places I'd never been to before, or to meet all those new people."

Elsa considered this and nodded. "Okay. I'm glad you can enjoy yourself while doing your job, then."

They continued walking in companionable silence and Katherine kept wondering about the queen's interest. Again, in the military, her feelings were never considered.

"Why the question?" She ended up asking, curiosity getting the better of her.

Elsa shrugged. "I wondered if you found the traveling as dreadful as I do."

"You find it dreadful?"

"I do find myself having the urge to ask you guys if we're almost there yet fairly often," Elsa smiled and Katherine chuckled softly, imagining it. "Don't get me wrong, I appreciate what I do a lot. But I've never cared much for the long journeys."

"I get that. The only real big trek I've made outside of the army was when my father and I left our hometown to move to Arendelle."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I was eleven. It only took three days, but it felt like a lifetime. And in my case, I did ask my father countless times if we were almost there yet."

Elsa tried to picture a younger Katherine pestering the great General Magnus and laughed. "I feel sorry for the general all of the sudden."

Katherine smiled. "Yeah, well, on the third day, he finally figured out a way to shut me up. We played a game."

Now Elsa was intrigued. "Which one?"

"It was a silly game…"

"I'll take anything at this point."

"It basically involves finding something around you and making the other person guess what it is. For example, I say 'I spy with my little eye something green.' And then you say something that's around here that's green."

"Like a tree?"

"Exactly. And if you wouldn't have guessed it, I would've given another clue, and so on."

"Okay," Elsa nodded and grinned. "Try me."

"I'm sorry?"

"Make me guess something. Or, you know what? I'll make you guess."

Katherine kept her eyes on Elsa for a moment and was amazed at the excitement she found in them. She couldn't but comply with a smile. "Alright."

"I spy with my little eye something… breathtaking," Elsa looked out at the landscape dramatically.

Katherine chuckled and rolled her eyes playfully. "Well, that narrows it down," she said in a sarcastic tone. "Um…" Just before Katherine tried to hazard a guess, she heard one of the other guards whistling, signaling that they were ready to continue the journey. "Oh, sorry. It would seem we're ready to get back on the road."

As they started getting closer to the site, Katherine stopped suddenly, taking Elsa's arm to stop her too.

Elsa was literally taken aback. "Wha—"

"Shh!" Katherine hushed her, trying to listen. She did so intently and realized something was going on close to the road. The soldiers must have moved the carriage there, because they weren't by the lake where they had left them anymore. Judging by the sound of metal against metal that now echoed through the woods, it was probably something violent.

They were frozen in place for a moment, until a loud crash had Katherine shoving Elsa into the shrubbery, trying to conceal her.

"What was that?" Elsa asked once she had gotten over the confusion of being pushed to the ground. Fear settled deep in her gut as she saw the now hardened look on the soldier's face. It reminded Elsa of the way Katherine had looked the day she went see the Arendelle army training, but tenfold.

Katherine's brain ran quickly. They were probably under attack, so she had to figure out a way to both assure Elsa's security and help her fellow soldiers.

"I don't know," her gaze was lifted to the sky as she calculated the best way to do her job. She gripped her shield tighter as she did, glad to have it with her.

Katherine was kneeling beside Elsa, who was sitting on the ground. She felt a chill run through her spine as she felt the air grow significantly more biting around them. She glanced at Elsa's concerned expression and guessed the sudden cold came from her. "It's going to be okay," she tried to reassure her. "But I'm going to need you to stay here," she looked at the queen seriously. Now Katherine was the one calling the shots.

Elsa didn't have time to say anything, as Katherine quickly leapt out of the hideout, running towards the danger.

Towards the danger. They were in danger. Like hell Elsa was going to stay behind while her guards risked their lives. She took a moment to compose herself and then ran behind Katherine.

When Elsa got within sight of the road, Katherine was the only one of the Arendellian soldiers still standing. The element of surprise had allowed her to take down two of the men of the enemy army, but there were five left, and they were starting to round her up.

An ice blast coming out of the woods took one of the men out, and had the other four looking up in shock, not knowing what had hit them. Katherine's heart dropped to her stomach. As if she hadn't been on edge enough. What the hell was Elsa doing, putting herself in the line of fire?

Despite of the horrific images that flashed through her mind, the situation bringing up painful memories, she was quick enough to take advantage of the distraction to knock out another one of the henchmen, who were rushing backward.

They were clearly a team of mercenaries whose only order was to kill their mark, as they didn't seem to mind the fall of their comrades. They were deadly, and Katherine wasn't sure she would be able to take them all out by herself.

As they regrouped, Katherine decided to run to where the ice blast had come from and Elsa joined her at the tree line.

"What are you doing here?" Katherine hushed, keeping her eyes on the men, who were slowly approaching them. The fact that they were still focused on the kill despite just seeing what Elsa could do made Katherine even more nervous.

"I wanted to help," Elsa hushed back.

"You disobeyed a direct order."

"I'm not a soldier."

At that moment, one of the mercenaries shot his bayonet their way, but Elsa was looking at Katherine, so the soldier pulled her to the ground, placing her shield towards the men, to keep her from being hit.

"Clearly," Katherine huffed, the adrenaline making her pulse race, blood pumping in her ears as she knelt beside Elsa on the snow.

The soldier was surprised to realize that the arrow had never made it near them. When she looked up, she saw the wall of ice that had trapped the arrow above them.

Katherine looked sideways at Elsa in awe, but the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps quickly had her springing back into action.

As the mercenaries rounded the wall of ice and lunged from both sides to attack, the girls automatically positioned themselves back to back and fought them off. Elsa took out two, encasing them in ice, and Katherine took the last one out.

Suddenly, everything was silent again, except for Elsa's and Katherine's heavy breathing. They slowly looked around at the injured men and at those trapped in ice.

Katherine turned to look at Elsa, who seemed in shock. "You said you wanted more excitement?"

That quickly lightened the mood and even had Elsa rolling her eyes playfully, breaking her out of her stupor. "That is not what I meant."

"I'll go look for our men," Katherine said, hoping they were still alive. "You should probably encase them all in ice. I don't think I used lethal force on all of them."

Elsa nodded and went to work, effectively trapping the enemy men for the foreseeable future. When she got to the last one, she took the time to examine his uniform. It was a black tunic with yellow detailing. Her stomach churned when she recognized the symbol emblazoned in the center of the chest. It was a yellow and white Maltese cross, the Hodgevike crest. These men had been sent by Oddvar to kill her.


	8. Chapter 8

Elsa jumped when a hand touched her shoulder.

"Hey, hey. It's me," Katherine was immediately worried. "Are you okay?" Her gaze traveled downward, and Elsa followed it, realizing ice was spreading from under her feet again.

"These are Hodgevike men," Elsa said gravely.

Katherine nodded slowly, understanding the implications of the ambush.

"How are our soldiers?" Elsa tried to forget about Oddvar for now. There were more pressing matters at hand.

"They all seem okay, but unconscious. I think we're going to have to wait for them to come to."

Elsa agreed, so they placed the boys near the carriage before sitting together at the front of it. They both got lost in their own thoughts for a while, trying to process what they had just gone through.

"I don't know why you have me around," Katherine broke the silence after a while. "You can do way more than I can. And your powers clearly keep you safe."

"I think you handled yourself quite nicely, actually. Besides, I think we work pretty well together, don't you?" Elsa smiled.

Katherine chuckled. "I guess. We _were_ pretty badass."

"Right?" Elsa laughed and they sat in companionable silence for a while.

As the queen turned over in her mind what had just happened, a light bulb turned on in her head. "The nightmares… Is it because of your job?"

Katherine was taken aback by the question. How did she—

"I heard you while we were in Stanheim. You sounded terrified."

The soldier put two and two together. "Is that why I found you sleeping outside your room? I'm so sorry, I—"

"No, no. It's fine. I couldn't sleep anyway. I, uh, planned to check if everything was okay, but I wasn't sure if you'd be comfortable with that, so I just decided to sit there for a moment and then leave, but I fell asleep instead."

Katherine's heart softened as she noticed how Elsa seemed bashful all of the sudden. "Sorry to have worried you." She lowered her gaze. "No. It's not the job, per se…"

Elsa cocked her head to the side and waited her out, sensing hard memories were resurfacing.

"You know why I became a soldier?"

Elsa shook her head no.

"My father brought me to Arendelle when I was eleven years old. We left Vaatmark because of the war. My, uh… my mother died because of that war. My father decided to leave after that, so I could be safe."

Elsa nodded slowly. Her eyes filled with sympathy. She knew what losing a parent could do to a person. "I'm sorry to hear that. I had no idea."

Katherine shrugged, unable to meet Elsa's gaze. It was the first time she told someone her story, and while she felt safe to do it with Elsa, it was still very difficult to get through. She thought she would burst into tears if she looked at the queen, so she just looked at the trees in front her.

"She was attacked by the enemy soldiers who had taken our town. It happened because she left the house one night, even if Father had told us never to leave alone. But she went out anyway. Because we had no more food. And I was hungry." The familiar feeling of guilt wrapped itself around her abdomen, and she swallowed hard, pushing back the tears.

Even though Katherine's gaze was now trained on the ground, she sensed that Elsa was going to tell her what her father had told her plenty of times already, so she beat her to it. "I know it wasn't my fault. I thought it was for a long time, though."

"I can only imagine how hard that must have been."

"It was hard. Very hard. But my father helped me a lot to get through that. You know, I started dreading going outside. I was terrified the same thing would happen to me, even after the town was liberated from the enemy troops."

Katherine finally felt solid enough to keep the tears at bay, so she allowed her eyes to fall on Elsa. She was met with so much kindness, she couldn't but feel glad she was sharing this with her.

"He didn't want me to be afraid. He taught me a way to transform that fear by showing me how to defend myself. He didn't want me to hide. That's why I became a soldier. Because he taught me to be one. And I was good at it. And that way I could maybe keep what happened to my mother from happening to other people."

Elsa was touched. She couldn't help comparing what her parents had done to the way General Magnus had reacted to unbelievable tragedy. He had empowered his daughter while her own parents let her hide behind her fear. Not that she blamed them for it. They did as best they could in an impossible situation. But thanks to her father, Katherine was able to turn what happened to her into a life mission to help others. She had the opportunity to carve out her own place in the world.

"That's very brave and noble of you."

Katherine shook her head. "It seems to be the only way I can live with that."

"So your nightmares are about what happened to your mother?"

Katherine nodded. She had almost forgotten why she had started telling her story in the first place. "Uh… Yeah, well, they usually involve a younger me seeing my mother in danger and never being able to save her."

Elsa's heart broke. That sounded horrifying. She now understood the screams she had heard that night.

"It's silly. That's over. I'm a soldier now. But I can't help it."

"I get nightmares too, sometimes," Elsa said in a quiet voice, surprising herself. "What I mean is… It's not silly."

"What are they about?"

Elsa sighed and leaned back in her seat, gazing at the men that lay motionless on the ground in blocks of ice. "That I hurt the people I love with my powers."

Katherine's eyes filled with understanding.

"I've already done it, which is why I got locked away in the first place. And then, once I dared get out and take off the gloves, I did it again." As Elsa felt the ache in her chest that always accompanied the memory, she looked down at her hands. She was amazed how they were capable of so much destruction. She stared at them, entranced, as she kept talking. "Anna is the most important person in my life, and she almost died because of me."

Katherine took a moment to consider it all. She saw the torment in Elsa's eyes, the heaviness in her heart was visible in her furrowed brow, and she could imagine the guilt that had gnawed at her for so long. It was probably similar to her own.

They sat there quietly for a while, Elsa lost in the darkness of her past and Katherine unsure of what to say.

 _If only Olaf was here. He_ _'s the best to lighten the mood_ , the soldier thought.

That was it!

"You know," Katherine shifted in her seat, hoping she had found the way to bring the queen back into the light. Elsa finally looked up at her when Katherine took Elsa's hands and stared deeply into her eyes. Even without her gloves, Katherine was beginning to get used to the cold touch, no longer feeling the urge to take her hand away.

"I know they were some terrible years, and honestly, I'm amazed that you made it through, that you still have so much light and love in your heart. What you went through, having to hide yourself away like that, as if you were some kind of monster, would have been enough to drive anybody insane. You could have been driven to make everyone be as miserable as you had been. But that's not you. You were strong enough to get out and learn to live your life as yourself, to accept yourself. I know times were hard, you made some mistakes… but you also did so much good. I see that in the way the kingdom is happy and thriving, in the light in the kids' eyes when you do one of your tricks, when you use your magic for good… Also, in the way your sister looks adoringly at you, the way you look at her with so much love. You are capable of much, and it's not all destruction. Wasn't it you who gave life to Olaf?"

Elsa thought about it for a moment and a wry smile crept onto her face as she shrugged. "I also made Marshmallow."

Katherine threw her a quizzical look. "Marshmallow?"

"Never mind," Elsa shook her head slightly and lifted her gaze, serious again, signaling Katherine could continue.

"My point is Olaf is the kindest, loveliest, most innocent and caring creature I have ever met. That's all part of you too. You're capable of so many amazing things. Don't let the darkness take over the great beauty within you."

Elsa was speechless, lost in the message of love and hope that had been given to her, and in the kindness in the soldier's dark eyes, in the reassuring warmth of the hand that was holding onto hers. She sat there in a trance, for a few seconds.

Both of them got lost in the other's eyes. Katherine's were full of empathy and understanding. Elsa's, whose had been brimming with fear and apprehension, were slowly filling with something more tender, more self-indulgent.

It was often hard for Elsa to remember there was a lot to be loved in her, but it was impossible for her to deny it when Katherine was looking at her like that, and telling her all of those sweet things. Usually it was Anna who helped her with that. And since Elsa wasn't quite at the stage of loving herself unconditionally yet, it was important for her to be surrounded with people who did.

Could she count on Katherine for that? Should she?

Finally, Elsa looked downward, suddenly self-aware.

A small smile played across Katherine's lips and she let go of Elsa's hand. Mission accomplished, she thought. But a part of herself missed the chill of the other woman's skin against hers.

"Thank you. I needed that," Elsa broke the silence, her gaze still downcast. "I forget about all that sometimes."

"If you ever forget again, I hope to be there to remind you. As many times as you need."

Elsa looked back up at Katherine, and their gazes held for another moment. Neither of them was sure exactly for how long Katherine would be there for her. But they both hoped she could keep her promise for as long as possible.

Forever sounded very damn tempting at the moment.

Katherine started feeling heat spread over her body, and before her face gave it away, she averted her eyes, clearing her throat.

"We, uh, we should probably start moving again soon. There's not much sunlight time left," Katherine said, jumping down from the carriage. "We can put the guys in the carriage."

"Good idea," Elsa said, stepping down herself to help her.

After the painstaking task of settling four unconscious soldiers in the confined space of the royal carriage, they were on their way again. Katherine was holding the reins and Elsa sat by her side, at the front.

Sensing a sort of heaviness that had settled over them as they continued through the forest, Katherine thought of something to lighten the mood.

"So," Katherine started with a smile. "That Prince Stefan seemed pretty interested in you."

Elsa rolled her eyes, visibly relaxing. "He's not the first."

"I'm sure."

"It's my council who wants to marry me off."

Her subjects had never batted an eye at the idea of having a woman ruling over them. It didn't make a difference, as far as she did her job well. And most of her council hadn't made a case out of it either, but a select few thought she would be happier by meeting a nice young prince who would marry her. As if happiness depended on the presence of a man by her side.

"Sounds annoying. Were they all as condescending?"

Appreciating the understanding in Katherine's voice, Elsa shrugged, more at ease. "No. Many of them were, but they weren't all completely bad."

"Must be fun in a way, to have all those princes showing interest in you."

Elsa thought about it for a moment. She had never seen it that way. "I don't know. I might enjoy it more if it wasn't forced upon me." She shook her head, realizing she was monopolizing the conversation. "But tell me about you. How do you deal with all the boys surely chasing after you?"

Now it was Katherine's turn to roll her eyes. "That doesn't happen."

Elsa was genuinely surprised. How was that possible? "Really?"

"Oh, yeah. I mean, I've always been one of the boys, so they don't really see me any other way."

Elsa found that hard to believe, but before she could comment further on it, she heard groaning coming from behind them. It was the guards that seemed to be regaining consciousness.

So Katherine never got to hear how much of a catch she was, at least according to Elsa.


	9. Chapter 9

The carriage hadn't yet stopped in front of the castle doors that Anna was already running to meet it. She was followed by Olaf and Kristoff.

It was after nightfall, so the courtyard was lit by several torches. Elsa barely had time to step onto the snow-covered cobblestone before her sister tackled her into a hug.

Katherine observed them as she descended from the carriage with a jump and smiled. If it had been anyone else, she would have already had them pinned to the ground. But considering the current attack only consisted of love, she let it slide and busied herself unloading the luggage.

As the family reunion happened behind her, she gave instructions to the other soldiers. "Take the queen's things to her quarters. I need to speak with Kai. And you," she pointed at one of them. "Go let Captain Olson know what happened. He'll probably want to speak to the queen."

"So, how was your journey?" Anna asked after her sister had been welcomed by everyone.

Before answering, Elsa followed Katherine with her eyes as she went into the castle. The proximity they had shared during this trek had been pleasant, but she was troubled by the possibility that, back home, it wouldn't be there anymore.

"Elsa? Is everything alright?" Anna furrowed her brows seeing her sister's lost look.

"Yeah, yeah. Sorry," Elsa shook her head and directed her attention to Anna. "It went really well. All business was taken care of without a problem."

"We were told there seemed to be a prince that was particularly interested in you," Kristoff wiggled his eyebrows at Elsa. Kai had arrived a day earlier and had filled them all in regarding the sparks that had been apparently flying between the two.

Elsa rolled her eyes. "There was. But that will not be going anywhere."

"Ah," Olaf, the self-appointed love expert interjected. "He didn't feel worth melting for?"

Elsa threw him a look of such confusion it had Anna chuckling.

"That's probably it. Come on, let's get you inside. You must be exhausted," Anna wrapped an arm around her sister and led her into the castle.

* * *

When Katherine got inside, she asked a footman to locate the political advisor for her, and to have him meet her in the Council Chamber. Before making her way there, she allowed herself a detour to the kitchen to get a little something to eat. She was starving.

She nibbled on a piece of bread with jam when she strolled into the room where Kai was already waiting for her. Neither of them sat.

"What can I do for you, Miss Anderson?"

"How did your journey back go?" she asked, all business after munching on the last of her snack.

"It went well, why?"

Katherine's look darkened as she replied. "We were ambushed a few hours from here."

His eyes grew wide. "What? Is the queen—?"

"She's fine. As are we all. Minor injuries for some of my colleagues."

"By whom?" His eyes darted around as he tried to grasp the situation. This could mean that they were under direct attack.

"Hodgevike men." Her tone was grim, and her expression was hardened by resolve. No one was getting close to the queen if she could help it.

He nodded slowly. "This is serious. But the queen is probably tired. I will reunite with relevant members of the council tonight to have a plan to present to her in the morning."

"Sounds good."

Before he left, he needed to know something else. He wasn't just interested in Elsa's physical wellbeing, but also her emotional state. "How did you find the queen?"

Images of Elsa flooded Katherine's mind in a flash: the peace in her features as she slept on the ground outside of her room, the absolute indifference she displayed listening to Prince Stefan for two days, the determination in her eyes as she fought off the mercenaries, the torment in her gaze at the resurfacing of painful memories…

She had found her enthralling. Absolutely awe-inspiring. Breathtaking. That was how she had found her.

"I don't— what?" Katherine caught herself, feeling heat stain her cheeks.

"Was she frightened?"

"Oh! Oh, no," she shook her head. "Actually, she handled herself quite well. But she was worried about what could come after that. I suppose not only for her, but mostly for the kingdom."

"Understandably. Alright, thank you." Kai bowed his head and left.

Katherine took one of the chairs and slumped in it, running one of her hands over her face. What had that been?

* * *

The next morning, Elsa gathered with some of her advisors in the Council Chamber.

"Now that Stanheim is out of the way and the contract has been renewed, we can deal with King Oddvar. We agreed to try the diplomatic approach first, so I should go to Hodgevike—"

She was cut off by Olson. "I don't think that's a good idea, Your Majesty."

"I would have to agree," Captain Rapp added. "With the direct attack against you yesterday, I don't think the risk is worth taking."

Elsa sighed, she understood their reluctance, but she didn't like what that implied. "And now I suppose you'll advise me to go directly to war?"

Olson shrugged. "Honestly? Yes. That ambush was further proof Oddvar is looking only for blood. I don't think anything else will sate him."

"That may be, but we're doing things the right way. We will have our army ready to fight, but I want to try the political approach first, if for nothing else, at least to see what state he's in," Elsa said.

"If you insist, Your Majesty," Kai interjected. "I must urge you to send delegates in your place. That way, you won't be in danger and you will get the information you require."

Elsa mulled it over. She could compromise on that. "Fine, but they must be able to defend themselves. I don't want them to take my place as sacrifice."

"We will make sure of that, Your Majesty," Rapp reassured her.

She knew that because of her position, because of tradition, because of some deep-seated sense of loyalty and hierarchy, they were all willing to die for her. Respect for the crown ran so deep in Arendelle that most of the people in the kingdom would risk their life for her. And that scared her more than anything else.

What she didn't know was that behind the door of that room, stood at attention a woman who would not only be willing to die for her, but also, and without really knowing it yet, melt for her if need be — as Olaf had so eloquently put it. And it had nothing to do with the soldier's job description.

* * *

As the councilmen exited the Chamber, Katherine met Elsa, who followed them into the corridor.

She noticed the pensive expression in the queen's delicate features and couldn't help wondering what was going through that fascinating mind of hers.

"Something wrong?"

Elsa shook her head, coming back to reality. "There's just a lot going on right now. A lot I don't have control over," she shrugged, giving her a small smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

Katherine felt a pang of helplessness at not being able to do much to take the worry from those mesmerizing blue eyes. Elsa always seemed to have the weight of the world on her shoulders, but today the burden seemed particularly heavy. What Katherine wouldn't be willing to do to share that charge with her…

"I'm going to work in my study for a while. You can take some time for yourself." Now it was Elsa who broke Katherine out of her reverie.

"I'm still on duty. I'm coming with you," Katherine said, resolute.

Elsa eyed her carefully as she started walking alongside Katherine. "Really. I don't want you to get bored out of your mind just standing there. I can go get you when I'm done if that makes you feel better."

" _You're_ the one who gets bored. I have been trained to do this," Katherine reminded her pointedly. That managed to make her chuckle, and Katherine was none too proud about being able to do at least that for her.

"Are you sure you don't prefer to do something else?" Elsa asked one last time as they came to stand in front of the tall double doors of her study.

Honestly, Katherine couldn't think of another place she'd rather be. "I'm sure."

"Suit yourself," Elsa shrugged as she entered the room.

Katherine proceeded to stand at attention, preparing herself for a likely uneventful couple of hours.

As it turned out, there would end up being a bit more action than she was expecting.

* * *

Anna had spent a good part of the morning and early afternoon with Kristoff and his family at the Valley of the Living Rock. The weather was great, with only near-freezing temperatures, and the sun was shining bright. Elsa would probably be taking it easy today after such a tiring trip, so Anna had gone along with her boyfriend.

As Anna got back into the castle, ready to tell her sister everything about how Kristoff's family, as usual, pestered them about plans to get married — in a way that was diametrically opposed to Elsa's views on the matter, who was rather of the opinion that they should wait a few years before they took that step — she happened across two soldiers in a corridor. They were walking her way, engrossed in a conversation, when she noticed one of them sported a black eye, and the other had a cut lip.

"It was brutal," she heard them as they got closer. "I can't believe they got the drop on us."

"They shouldn't have been able to get that close."

As they saw the princess, the soldiers stood up a little straighter and bowed their heads. With a quizzical look on her face, she stopped them on their tracks. She recognized them as having been part of Elsa's guard for the trip to Stanheim.

"Gentlemen, what happened?"

"Oh, this?" One of them, Robert, gestured toward his bruised eye. "It's from yesterday."

"Yesterday?"

"Yeah. From the attack to the queen's carriage," the other soldier, Brit, replied.

"Attack?" Now her eyes went wide in disbelief. "You were attacked?"

The soldiers nodded slowly, gazing sideways at each other.

Anna felt her anger mount. "Do you have any idea where Elsa is?"

"We know she met with the council earlier, but we haven't seen her since," Brit offered.

"Thank you." she said — not forgetting her manners despite her temper rising — before storming off to look for her sister.

They had been attacked and Elsa hadn't bothered to mention it? It wasn't like she hadn't had the time to tell her the night before. Why was she still leaving her in the dark?

Anna, officially furious, spotted Katherine outside the study as she rounded a corner, and guessed that was where her sister was. There was nothing of the little sister who was scared to say the wrong thing driving her today.

Elsa had a lot of explaining to do.


	10. Chapter 10

A short while after Elsa had entered her study, Katherine noticed Anna making her way toward her. She was intrigued by Anna's fast pace and hardened expression. For a moment, she actually wondered if she should stop her.

"Princess Anna, is something wrong?" Katherine asked instead as the young woman approached the doors. She _did_ look threatening.

"I need to talk to my sister," is all Anna said, opening one of the double doors with more force that seemed necessary.

Katherine decided she should probably keep an ear out to make sure the queen wasn't in any actual danger. She was glad when Anna left the door ajar behind herself.

* * *

Elsa jerked her head up when she heard someone irrupt into her study, startled by the suddenness of it. She was used to people at least knocking before opening the door. But this time, Anna hadn't bothered. And Elsa's brows knit when she saw her sister basically storm inside.

"What is this I'm hearing about an attack on your carriage yesterday?" she asked, standing in front of Elsa's desk.

Elsa flinched before sinking back into her chair. She should have guessed this would happen. She set her quill down and threw an apologetic look at her sister. "I didn't want to worry you."

"You didn't want to worry me?!" Anna spat, incredulous. "It worries me more that you didn't tell me about it yourself. If something happens to you, will I always have to learn about it from others?"

Now Elsa stood too, her gaze full of regret. "No, of course not, Anna. It's just that—"

"It's just that nothing. I'm tired, Elsa, of always being left out. Of always being in the dark. I might be younger and less experienced, but I have a right to know what's happening to you and the kingdom too."

Elsa carefully studied her sister's face. The mix of anger and anguish she found there made her heart ache. She knew she had screwed up. "You're right. I'm sorry," Elsa agreed, lowering her eyes.

That broke Anna. She was not as angry as she was terrified for her sister. "Dammit, Elsa. When are you going to start trusting me? You know how scary it is to think that I could've lost you? That I could still lose you because some crazy king has an army ready to kill you?"

Elsa met her sister's eyes, which were welling with tears, so she rounded her desk to take her into her arms. "It's okay. I'm here. It's going to be okay," she whispered, trying to soothe her.

This feeling she knew. Elsa was sorely familiar with the idea of losing her sister forever, with how unbearable that pain could be. And all she could do was show her she was still there.

After a few seconds, Elsa broke away and looked intently into Anna's reddened eyes, their hands entwined. "Listen to me. I will not let anyone hurt me, just as I will not let anyone threaten you or the kingdom, alright?"

Sniffling, Anna couldn't do more than nod.

Elsa nodded too and returned behind her desk to fish out a handkerchief from one of the drawers. She handed it to Anna and took her other hand, guiding her to the cushioned bench seat that was placed just below the large window that overlooked the Bridge of Arches, that led from the Arendelle Plaza to the castle gates. They sat sideways, facing each other.

As Anna tried to calm down, Elsa looked out into the bustling plaza. All those people depended on her, and sometimes she still had a hard time believing it. It weighed heavy on her heart.

She looked at her sister again and found that the weight only got heavier. "I do trust you, you know," Elsa tried to assure Anna.

"No, you don't," Anna said quietly. "If you did you would talk to me, you would believe I can handle it."

Elsa felt Anna's words like a lead weight that dropped into her stomach. She had only wanted to protect her. The last thing she wanted was for Anna to believe that she didn't trust her. "I'm really sorry. I _was_ going to tell you. I just hadn't found a way to do it."

Sharing was difficult for Elsa, especially with her sister. She was getting better at it, but it wasn't a switch that could be turned on and off. It was a constant struggle. Every single time, Elsa had to make the conscious effort to not give into what over a decade of practice had taught her to do.

Anna sighed, looking down at her hands, toying with the handkerchief. "I know."

"I'll try to do better. I promise. I'm just glad we all made it out safely," Elsa said, not thinking only of herself but also of the soldiers that had accompanied her.

"How did it happen?" Anna lifted her gaze, curious.

Elsa quickly went over the details of the ambush, thinking it best not to leave anything out.

"But I have to say, being able to freeze them in seconds did come in handy," Elsa's eyes brightened as she thought of that moment when she and Katherine had realized they had taken them all out. "But I couldn't have done it without Katherine by my side."

* * *

The soldier listened to the heated argument and felt herself relax when she heard Anna break down. She tried to block the conversation out then, since the threat level had considerably decreased. She was trained for that. But her curiosity got the better of her.

Katherine was fascinated by the sibling dynamic. She was an only child. Yes, there was an inevitable sense of brotherhood that came with being part of an army, but being the only woman, it wasn't always easy to feel like she fit in. At first, she had found herself being looked down upon. Most of the other recruits had been certain she didn't have what it took — that her father was the only reason she was there.

But she did have what it took. She couldn't be just as good as the guys. She had to be ten times better than them to be taken seriously, to prove to them that she could hold her own.

As she listened to the sisters consoling and reassuring each other, Katherine felt a familiar sense of longing. And all those nights alone in her cot at the military headquarters came rushing back. They had been difficult at the beginning, but she had quickly learned that if she tired herself enough during training, exhaustion would knock her out before she felt it. Later, she had found it helpful to remember her mission. That was when her sense of duty became her driving force, which was how she quickly became one of the best recruits of her class.

That was also how, a few months into training, she had gained the trust and respect of most of her fellow recruits. She felt they had each other's backs.

So, despite everything, she did have friends in the army. Friends she now considered family. Friends that had witnessed her nightmares and still believed in her strength.

But it was a relatively new experience in her life. And it wasn't quite like what she saw between Elsa and Anna.

Realizing the sisters were making their way out of the study, Katherine stood up straighter, slipping on her hard, neutral expression.

She was standing to the side of the double doors, looking straight ahead into the corridor. Her eyes widened, startled, when the princess blindsided her, taking her into a sideways hug.

"Thank you for protecting my sister."

Katherine glanced at Elsa, who was trying to stifle a chuckle at seeing the soldier be on the receiving end of one of Anna's love attacks.

"It's my job. But she didn't need me for that. She defended herself without a problem."

"Oh, no need to be humble," Anna said, now breaking away from the soldier. "Thank you for being there to bring her back home safely."

Katherine decided to take it, otherwise the princess would probably just go on about it to try to convince her of how great the feat was. "It's an honor," she bowed her head at Anna but couldn't help sharing a look with Elsa. It would always be an honor to guard her.

The soft smile on Elsa's lips turned mischievous as she had an idea. Maybe Anna could see her in action.

* * *

Elsa whispered something in Anna's ear, which had the younger sister squealing with delight.

"Let's go!" Anna said, taking her sister by the hand, dragging her behind herself as she rushed down the corridor.

Katherine followed close behind, confused.

They rushed out of the castle. As they got to the courtyard, Elsa let go of her sister's hand and ran ahead of her. Anna stopped in her tracks and bent down to gather some snow.

Katherine, having stopped with Anna, watched what she was doing, and she realized the princess was making a snowball, presumably to throw at her sister, who was running towards the gates.

It was just a game. Katherine understood that. Nobody was in any actual danger. But in the heat of the moment, her protective nature had a shot of adrenaline pumping through her, sending her coherent thought process out the window.

Instinctively, she leapt toward her. "Elsa!" she shouted as she ran to her. But it was too late. The snowball had left Anna's hand. Katherine realized that the only way to keep the projectile from hitting the queen was to… tackle her to the ground.

When Katherine would have had time to reflect on this further, she would roll her eyes at herself at the absurdity of the thought. But for now, only one idea occupied her mind: protect Elsa.

The next instant, Katherine was the one receiving the snowball hit as she crashed into Elsa. Both women tumbled to the ground, but Katherine had the foresight, when she realized the fall was inevitable, to twist them around so she would be the one taking the brunt of the landing, as Elsa stumbled on top of her.

Even if she was grateful for the few inches of fresh snow that somewhat cushioned the impact, Katherine still grunted as the air was knocked out of her.

Elsa had been so surprised by the last few seconds that she panted, lying on top of the soldier. As her brain tried to grasp what had just happened, she let the warmth of the body below her ground her as she stared into Katherine's eyes.

Katherine's chest heaved as she struggled to catch her breath, and her cheeks reddened, but it wasn't from the effort or the cold. "Sorry," she said. "I got a little carried away."

Elsa had imagined Katherine would react in some sort of protective manner, but that wasn't quite how she thought they'd end up.

She chuckled, having regained her senses. "It's okay."

She should get up, Elsa knew that. But she was busy studying Katherine's adorably rosy cheeks and wild hair sprinkled with snow. Fire laced with ice. Elsa wondered what Olaf would have to say about that.

Katherine, in turn, occupied herself by moving her gaze from Elsa's eyes to her lips. They were slightly parted as she caught her breath. Katherine couldn't help to run her tongue over her own lips, wondering what Elsa's would taste like.

_Wait, what?_

"Oh!" Anna exclaimed, surprised by the soldier's reaction, rushing towards them.

It had all happened in a matter of seconds, but they had almost seemed like a lifetime. When they realized Anna was approaching them, Elsa finally rolled off the soldier, offering her a hand.

"Thanks," Katherine took it to steady herself as she rose to her feet. She caught herself missing the feeling of Elsa's weight on her body.

_What was happening?_

"Are you okay?"

Katherine dusted the snow off her uniform and turned to look at Anna. "We're fine. Just an overenthusiastic guard who takes her job a bit too seriously," she shrugged but then turned apologetic. "Sorry again, Your Majesty."

"No need to be," Elsa shook her head reassuringly.

"You were right, though," Anna chimed in. "She does seem like a force to be reckoned with."

"Heads up!" Katherine said, noticing Kristoff was running towards them through the open gates, readying himself to throw a snowball. He was followed by Olaf and Sven.

In a flash, Elsa had conjured up her own snowball in a magical flurry and sent it flying his way before he had a chance to throw his own. It hit his arm, that he had lifted to protect his face.

"That's not fair!" he whined.

"A snowball fight?!" Olaf squealed with delight. "I've always wanted to be in one, they sound so much fun! Unlike an ice ball fight," he mused. "That just sounds dangerous."

"Okay," Anna said. "We can have one. But no magic. And let's try not to tackle people to the ground," Anna winked at Katherine, who blushed again.

"I'll try."


	11. Chapter 11

The following day, Elsa summoned Katherine to her study. When they had discussed their arrangement a few weeks earlier, they had decided that the soldier would remain at her quarters in the military base and that she would mostly accompany the queen on her outings. But today, Elsa had a new idea.

As she waited, apprehension took over her. She hoped the soldier would be on board.

Why was she always so nervous when she had to ask Katherine things? Was she that afraid she would say no?

She was the queen. She could expect everyone to agree to whatever she asked. But with Katherine it was always different. With her, she didn't want to be seen as a queen whose every demand had to be met. She didn't really want that with anyone else, if she was honest, but with the soldier she _definitely_ wanted something different. Something more.

Before, their arrangement had been all about Elsa wanting to get to know the newcomer within a distance she was comfortable in. But during the trip to Stanheim, they had shared a closeness that she wasn't as ready to let go of anymore. An intimacy that was almost intoxicating, that she couldn't get enough of.

How she hoped she said yes.

When she heard a knock at the door, Elsa sat up straighter, as she often did when she wanted to seem more composed than she felt. "Come in."

"Good morning, Your Majesty," Katherine nodded her ever courteous greeting as she stepped in.

"Good morning, Katherine. Please, sit down."

"What can I do for you?" Katherine asked as she took her place in front of the queen.

"I would like to propose a new arrangement for the way your services are provided. What would you think of coming to stay at the castle?"

Katherine tried to keep the surprise from her expression, but her eyebrows still rose. There was already a rotation of soldiers that assured the security of the royal residence at all times.

"I know there are always soldiers around," Elsa said, as if reading her mind. "But with what happened on our way back from Stanheim, I have felt that Anna has become more nervous about my security. And she likes you. Maybe having you around would ease her fears… And I wouldn't mind it either," she added with a small smile.

Elsa might have looked calm and on top of things, as she usually did, but her heart was threatening to burst out of her chest. Admitting to wanting to spend more time with someone wasn't something she was used to doing.

Barely upon registering what Elsa could mean by that, Katherine felt a warm feeling spread across her chest, as if a tiny sun had found its place beside her heart. She wouldn't mind the possibility of spending more time with Elsa either.

"That does seem like an excellent idea, you know, security wise." While Katherine's words were nonchalant, clearly not ready to vocally admit to anything else, her face was, once again, considerably more communicative, as she was unable to stop the smile that stretched her lips.

Elsa saw right through her. "Of course, of course," she nodded before she grinned, beaming.

Katherine made a mental note to start making a conscious effort to remember what could make Elsa smile like that. The queen was beautiful, that much was undeniable, but her smile was often polite and reserved, as if she feared it would take up too much space. However, the way pure, unadulterated happiness made her eyes sparkle in such a magical manner as it did now had the whole world melting around her. At least from the soldier's perspective, who didn't seem to have eyes for anything else.

"So," Elsa said, breaking Katherine out of her trance. "We have a lot of unoccupied rooms around the castle. You could go around and choose your own."

Katherine nodded, and with as much insouciance as she could muster, she asked, "Any chance there's a free room near your own? I'm just thinking, security-wise that would probably be ideal."

Elsa thought about it and realized there wasn't any rooms available around her own. But she had been thinking for a while about moving to her parents' bedroom, hoping to put her lonely past behind her. This could be the perfect excuse for her to finally make the move.

"There is one a few doors from mine," or rather the room that was about to become hers. "Though I do have to say it's not very big…"

"Not a problem. I don't need much. As long as there's a bed, it'll be perfect." _Especially if it_ _'s close to you_ , her mind added irreverently.

No, not irreverently. Completely logically. It would just make her job easier. Yeah. That was obviously her only concern.

"It's settled then," Elsa smiled as she wrote down a note that would remind her to make the necessary arrangements later. "Let's go get some lunch," she said as they both stood.

As they walked down the corridors to the dining room, Elsa couldn't help stealing a few glances at Katherine while her own mind wandered to dangerous places. She pondered if she'd be able to keep herself out of the soldier's room if she were to hear her nightmares again.

* * *

A few days later, Elsa began the morning being struck by a new idea. She had found a way to solve a problem that had been nagging at her for a couple of days. But now, she needed to find a way to get Katherine out of the castle so she could carry out her plan.

As they ate silently, Elsa figured it out.

"You should take the day off today."

Katherine raised an eyebrow as she looked at the queen. She had been working for her for almost three weeks and hadn't even thought about the fact that she hadn't had an official day off since then. When she hadn't been called to accompany her somewhere, she had spent the day training. "Okay…" she said, curious. Elsa seemed… off somehow. As if she was hiding something.

"You could, I don't know, go back to the training center to spend some time with your friends, take a stroll at the market, go for a ride through the woods…" Elsa shrugged, looking down at her plate, trying to seem innocent, but only managing to look more suspicious.

Katherine nodded. The queen definitely wanted her out of there. "Yeah, all good ideas. I'll go do that." Who was she to protest? So, as soon as she finished her lunch, she took her leave, grabbing Storm to take him for a ride.

Once Katherine had left the castle grounds, Elsa asked Kai to get a couple of guards into the Great Hall for an audience with her.

A few minutes later, two rookie soldiers that had been stationed at the castle for the day, Alexander and Robert, stood before her.

"Gentlemen, I have called you here today because I need your help with something. I appreciate your presence at the castle and I'm in awe of your discipline and your sense of duty, even when most of your tasks are, well, quite frankly, dull."

"It is our honor to occupy our posts," Robert was quick to clarify.

"I'm sure it is," Elsa reassured them. "But it's nothing compared to the kind of action you probably signed up for, am I mistaken?" She gave them a little smile.

They shrugged. They agreed. But they weren't about to tell the queen how they were looking forward to the day where they could see some actual combat.

"So," she continued. "I have decided, to show my gratitude, to set up a training area here in the castle, so that all the soldiers stationed here have a place to stretch their muscles when they have some down time."

Elsa had watched how Katherine had moved around during the snow fight a few days before, seeming delighted, her competitive side clear. The soldier clearly thrived in the heat of action. Yet, most of her time was spent standing around waiting for her. That seemed like another waste of her skill. There had to be a way to have her do something more productive.

The soldiers' eyes widened, and they threw a sideways glance at each other, impressed.

"And how might we be of help, Your Majesty?" Alexander wondered.

"I need to know what you would like to find in a place like that."

* * *

Sometime later, armed with the valuable information the boys had provided, Elsa made her way to the courtyard, where she would get to work on building the structure, but not before having some of the staff go into the village to get some things to garnish the new training area.

Elsa practically hummed with excitement as she twirled her hands in the air to erect the ice walls that would house the equipment: wood and hay targets for arrow shooting and spear throwing practice, mats for sparring, as well as other commodities.

It was a simple cube shaped building in the courtyard, to the side of the main structure of the castle. The walls were clear ice, so you could see what was found in the rooms inside. That way, the sunlight could easily filter in, but it still provided shelter from the elements.

A few hours later, her creation was done and completely furnished. She looked at it proudly and wondered if they would like it. If _Katherine_ would like it.

* * *

After a day of aimlessly wandering around the woods and around the town, Katherine was on her way back to the castle. She had to admit it was nice to have some time to shut off her brain and take in the simple pleasures of life, as were taking a stroll through a tranquil forest or enjoying a pastry at the baker's shop.

She felt energized, but ready to get back to the life of order she was used to. And to Elsa.

As she galloped onto the Bridge of Arches, though, the two soldiers stationed at the open gates moved to stand in front of the entrance, blocking her way. She tugged on Storm's reins, coming to a stop just before reaching her comrades. She recognized them. It was Frederick Schroder and Patrik Hillesland.

She felt her heart drop to her stomach, worst case scenarios instantly flooding her mind. Had something happened to Elsa? It took her every single bit of self-control to not just order Storm to rush inside, knocking the guards over if need be.

"What's going on, Hillesland?" She demanded as she watched Frederick run into the courtyard.

"We were ordered to stop you when you came back," he shrugged.

As she took in his demeanor, as casual as ever, her panic subsided somewhat. But she still didn't know what was happening. And that was unacceptable.

"Why? By whom?"

"Don't know. By the queen."

Her confusion only grew at that. Did she really not want her at the castle that much? Had Katherine done something wrong? "Does she want me to leave, or…?" She held on tighter to the reins, sitting up taller, trying to look more in control than she felt.

"No, no. She just said to wait for her."

While Katherine waited, she stroked her horse's dark mane, trying to ground herself and keep her mind from going into places of doubt. What was going on here? She was not used to feeling this insecure.

* * *

Elsa was in her study when Frederick went to get her. She practically flew down the stairs, her usually composed and calm exterior nowhere to be found.

As she sprinted through the castle and out into the courtyard, servants she crossed on her way were left perplexed, wondering if there was a fire they too should be running away from.

Soon, she reached Patrik and Katherine outside the gates. As she took in their faces, catching her breath, she realized how odd the situation must have seemed. Still, she carried on with her plan.

"Katherine, how was your day?"

Her eyes slightly narrowed, the soldier answered slowly. "It was fine… Your Majesty, may I ask what's going on?"

"You may, but I'm not going to tell you. Not until you come with me." Elsa turned and gestured with her hand to follow her into the courtyard.

Katherine quickly dismounted and did as she was told, walking closely behind the queen as she tugged Storm's reins.

As she did her usual sweep of the area, something new caught Katherine's eye and she did a double take. She noticed the new building — was it made of ice? — in the middle of the courtyard.

"Ta-da!" Elsa turned as they approached the new training area, throwing up a hand toward it in a flourish.

Katherine noticed the training material through the clear walls and her eyes widened in amazement before landing on the shy smile on Elsa's face.

"I… I couldn't help noticing the other day how alive you seemed in battle, and how boring it must be in comparison to spending most of your days staring at the walls. So, I decided to build a training area right here for all the soldiers stationed at the castle. I know there's a lot of downtime and not a lot of action. So, now you'll have something else to do, if you wish."

"Wow," was all Katherine could say. "Thank you, Your Majesty. That's very generous of you."

Now Katherine felt silly. All day, the nagging thought that Elsa was trying to get rid of her had plagued her mind. The idea of being pushed away by the queen had been terrifying, more than she liked to admit to herself. And now, as she looked at Elsa's excited smile, she couldn't help but feel there was something special between them. Something way beyond a professional relationship. Maybe even beyond simply being friends that could confide in each other. And that idea was terrifying in and of itself.


	12. Chapter 12

Katherine arose from the bliss of sleep to a dark morning. The first visible rays of the sun struggled to pierce through the thick gray clouds. Her mood wasn't usually affected by the weather, but this morning, she felt as drab and morose as the gloomy day.

Still, she pushed the covers aside and got ready for work. Once she put on her uniform, she picked up the standard-issue gloves that she had left on top of her dresser. They were beside her calendar, as she glanced at it and when she realized what the date was, a knot formed in her stomach as it dawned on her. Now she knew why she was feeling so off today. It marked the tenth anniversary of the last time Katherine had seen her mother alive. It had been the following day — they believed — that she had been murdered.

Usually she started dreading this day weeks in advance. This was the first year it had blindsided her. She wondered if it had anything to do with the fact that the date drifted farther and farther away. Or maybe it was because what occupied her mind and her heart these days carried enough light to overpower the darkness that the memories of that night brought with them. It was probably a combination of the two. But now that the date brought all the feelings to the forefront of her consciousness, she felt them with the same intensity as she had for months after the incident.

The ache in her heart from the hole left there when her mother was ripped away from her made it difficult for her to breathe. The weight of that emptiness pressed hard against her chest. She had to move. She had to occupy herself so the images of her countless nightmares that flared up around this time of year left her mind.

She had to hurt something, the reckless part of herself — which was usually kept in check by discipline and her general optimism — offered. Today, her warmer side was chilled by a misguided need for revenge. The pent-up rage made her tightly grasp the hilt of her sheathed sword at her hip with such strength that the engravings dented her skin.

Visions of her taking out her anger on the furniture of her room provided little relief, and she sighed as she relaxed her grip. Actually doing it wouldn't give her much more satisfaction. After all, it wasn't the things in this room that were responsible for her mother's death. Besides, it would just get her into trouble. And damage her sword.

Katherine threw a sideways glance at the double doors of her room and her resolve shifted. Her darker side was closer to the surface this morning, but her sense of duty still held strong, so she was going to go out there and do her job. And maybe getting to see Elsa's smile might just take the edge off.

* * *

Katherine was soon joining the queen to get breakfast.

"Good morning, Katherine," Elsa's eyes lit up as soon as she saw her, as they often did.

The soldier, who still felt like she carried a dark cloud over her head, found herself being glad to see that shine in the queen's eyes. She was usually very happy to see Elsa. It cheered up her days without fail. Katherine wasn't sure if she would get anywhere resembling that feeling today. It did help, though. The emptiness felt a little less empty than it had just a moment before. There was a little less darkness. There was a little more warmth.

"Good morning, Your Majesty," Katherine nodded in greeting, trying to seem more cheerful than she felt.

They made their way to the dining room, where they shared a quiet breakfast, since Anna was still asleep and Kristoff usually waited to eat with her.

Elsa threw furtive glances at her companion throughout the meal. It wasn't uncommon for them to share moments of silence — both being naturally reserved. But she did notice Katherine was uncharacteristically recoiled, as if she wanted to disappear into herself. She usually stood tall, shoulders back, head held high. Today, that usual confidence was nowhere to be found. As was her customary appetite. She barely touched the food in her plate.

But before Elsa could work up the courage to break the silence and ask if something was wrong, Kai entered the dining room.

"Sorry to interrupt, Your Majesty," he said as he walked in. "The delegates that are being sent to Hodgevike are about to leave. You wished to see them before they do?"

"Yes, Kai. Thank you. I'll meet them at the Entrance Hall."

The advisor nodded and left the room.

Katherine stood up as Elsa did, and when the queen looked at her mostly full plate, she was quick to reassure her. "I was done. I'm not really hungry."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, don't worry about it," Katherine shrugged, motioning toward the hall. "After you."

As Elsa passed Katherine, she did worry about her. She couldn't help it.

* * *

Elsa stopped while they were still in the hallway. The men in the military jackets were standing near the staircase, so they came into view for Elsa and Katherine, but they couldn't see the women, who were coming from a corridor to the side of the Entrance Hall.

Elsa recognized the delegates. They were often part of the full council meetings. It was the Lieutenants Oliver Rask and Victor Thorn. Rask had short dark hair and sported a moustache. Thorn had longer light brown hair and sideburns.

They were tall and athletically built, and while she hadn't personally witnessed their ability to carry themselves in battle, she had been assured they could hold their own. In council meetings, both were very discreet, but when they had something to say, they did it assertively, their way of carrying themselves commanding attention and respect.

Katherine stopped just behind Elsa, wondering why they weren't going into the room.

"Do you know, the Lieutenants?" Elsa asked her quietly.

"Yeah. Great fighters and strategists. Worked with them a lot during training."

Elsa nodded and Katherine watched her steel herself, straightening her back and lifting her shoulders before they finally walked into the hall.

"Good morning, gentlemen."

"Your Majesty," the soldiers said and bowed in unison.

"I trust you know your assignment?"

"Yes. And it's an honor to serve our kingdom so," Rask said solemnly.

"Arendelle thanks you for your service. Please be careful. Don't take any unnecessary risks," Elsa pleaded.

"We will be careful. It's not our first negotiation. No need to worry, Your Majesty," Thorn said, trying to reassure her.

Elsa had to stop herself from sighing. Instead, she nodded. "Have a safe journey, gentlemen."

They bowed solemnly before turning to leave.

People kept telling Elsa not to worry, but that was all she felt she could do. As she watched them go, dread settled in her gut. She trusted her people to take care of themselves and to safeguard the kingdom, but she couldn't help the uneasy feeling hanging over her.

Katherine watched as Elsa seemed to unwind as the soldiers disappeared behind the door, but it wasn't in relaxation. She seemed to deflate, almost as if this interaction had drained her of her energy. Before she could ask her if she was okay, Elsa spoke.

"I will spend the morning working at my study. You could go train and then meet me for lunch?"

Usually, the soldier preferred staying close to Elsa, especially when she seemed off, as she did now. But today, she greatly favored going outside to use up her energy taking some of her comrades on. The thought of standing in silence in the corridors of the castle alone with her memories made her stomach turn.

"I will meet you at lunch, then," Katherine said with a small smile.

* * *

Some time later, Katherine was grateful for the opportunity to stretch her muscles. Having found other soldiers training in the courtyard, she had proposed to do some swordfighting practice. She was more aggressive than usual, but the other soldiers rose to the occasion.

The sound of metal hitting metal reverberated within the stone walls when a group of people entered through the open gates.

"Stop, stop," Katherine commanded, jumping away from her colleagues and sheathing her sword before sprinting toward the newcomers.

Around a dozen villagers were led by Wael. He was the self-appointed reporter for Arendelle. He was in his early twenties and always carried himself with an overconfidence that only young people who knew little about life but thought they had it all figured out could have. His slick black hair matched his ink-stained hands, that were balled into fists at his sides.

Katherine quickly placed herself in their path, making them stop. "Good morning," she gave them a polite smile, speaking mostly at Wael. "May we help you with something?"

"We request an audience with the queen," the journalist declared solemnly.

Katherine glanced at the people in front of her, trying to get a sense of why they could be there. They didn't seem overtly angry, but there was a definite determination in their faces.

"Is she expecting you?"

"No. But we would like to see her as soon as possible to discuss a matter of utmost importance."

Katherine narrowed her eyes slightly at him. For Wael, matters of _utmost importance_ were often things that weren't actually that important. Still, she didn't have the power to decide much around here, so she nodded. "Alright. I'll see what I can do. Meanwhile, you guys can wait inside so you don't have to stay in the cold."

* * *

After leading the villagers into the castle, Katherine made her way to Elsa's study. As the door was open, she saw Anna seating on the queen's desk, animatedly talking about her latest outing.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, Your Majesty, Princess Anna," Katherine bowed her head as she stood in the doorway.

"No problem. What's up?" Anna asked.

"Some villagers just came into the castle asking to speak to the queen. Wael seems to be leading them."

"What for?" Anna wondered as she got to her feet.

"I don't know. What should I tell them?" Katherine directed her question at Elsa.

"I'll be right there."

Anna cleared her throat, turning to look at her sister, who was rising from her seat.

" _We_ will be right there," Elsa corrected herself.

"Where do you wish to see them?"

"Take them to the Audience Chamber, please."

Katherine nodded and turned to be on her way.

Once the soldier was out of earshot, Elsa shifted uncomfortably, the dread already present in her mind only getting stronger.

"What do you think this is about?" Elsa wasn't sure, but it couldn't be anything good. It was not uncommon for Wael to ask to see her, but he usually scheduled his visits in advance. And while the reporter could be nosy, it was odd for him to just show up and request to be seen immediately.

"I have no idea," Anna shrugged. Recently, she had started spending a good part of her days in the village, either at the plaza or at the local library, where she helped kids with their reading or their schoolwork. Therefore, she was usually up to speed with what happened in Arendelle. "I haven't heard anything that would require an immediate meeting with you."

Elsa nodded, trying to steel herself. As she walked to the door, Anna took her hand.

"But whatever it is, we can handle it."

Elsa tightened her grasp on her sister's hand and gave her a small smile. She hoped she was right.

* * *

Soon, Katherine entered the Audience Chamber followed by the sisters. As they approached the group that was waiting for them, Katherine felt herself stiffen. She knew the people of Arendelle. They would never hurt their queen. Still, she couldn't help feeling ambushed, which had her on full alert, ready to react in case anyone got too close.

Once they approached the group, Katherine moved to the side for the sisters to address their people.

"Good morning," Elsa greeted them. "How may we be of help?"

"Your Majesty," Wael took a step forward. "We were made aware that we seem to be on the brink of a war. Is that true?"

Katherine threw Elsa a sideways glance. If the queen was surprised by the fact that the information had leaked, she didn't show it, her exterior as cool as ice. Anna's shock was more evident.

"Wait, who told you that?"

"Anna—" But Elsa was too late to stop her sister.

"So, you're not denying it," Wael said accusingly.

"Let me handle it?" Elsa said softly as she turned to her sister. Now facing the villagers, she continued more firmly. "No, we're not denying it. We have been experiencing some diplomatic tensions with a neighboring kingdom."

" _Diplomatic tensions?_ " Wael repeated in an incredulous tone. "Is that why there is strengthened military presence at the border? And why weren't we informed before? That has been going on for a while. Delegates have even been sent."

Katherine's teeth gritted as she felt her jaw tighten. She was quickly getting tired of his grating know-it-all tone.

"Wael, we're handling it. That's all we felt you need to know," Elsa said, trying to remain patient.

"But we have a right to know when we might be in danger! If you're _handling it_ , as you say, we should know that too. Unless that's not actually the case? You're not really experienced after all…"

That was going too far for Anna. "Now, Wael, that's unfair." She stepped forward, unable to stand back as her sister's choices were being questioned.

Katherine was better able to control herself, but her impulse was the same. She wondered if there might be smoke billowing out of her ears she was fuming so much. Though, with the glare she was throwing at Wael, it was easy enough to guess that she was daydreaming of physically removing him from the room. If there was ever a day it could actually happen, this was it. She wondered if her ability to keep her own temper in check would last much longer.

"We will try to keep you updated with relevant information from now on," Elsa conceded.

"I look forward to it," Wael said, with a sharp nod.

"Anything else we can help you with?"

Wael looked back at the other villagers and shook his head. "That's all. Thank you, Your Majesty."

"I'll see you guys out," Katherine went to open the door and waited for them to trickle out of the room before she followed them.

As soon as the sisters were left alone, Anna heard Elsa sigh and saw her shoulders sag ever so slightly as the tension relented.

"He was out of line," Anna said, quick to want to reassure her sister.

"No, he was right. They do have a right to know. I should have been more forthcoming," she said as she wrapped her arms around herself.

"You had a lot to take care of. That wasn't your priority."

"My priority should always be the people of Arendelle. And that includes keeping them informed."

"That's not what I meant. They clearly are your priority. Everything you're doing is for them!"

"I know, I know…" Elsa said without much conviction.

Anna knew that there was not much she could say to take the hurt from Elsa's eyes. Her sister had an enormous amount of pressure on her shoulders, and most of it was self-inflicted. But she could at least try to distract her for a moment.

"Want to go take a walk or something?"

"I have a lot of work to do. Maybe later." Elsa walked to the door and paused at the opening. "Can you tell Katherine to take the day off, please? I'll be spending the rest of the day in my study."

"Yeah, of course," Anna said as she watched her sister disappear into the hallway.

She didn't like the thought of Elsa being alone at a time like this, but Anna had come to understand that, unlike herself, her sister sometimes did need some time on her own to deal with things. And whenever she was ready to lean on someone else, she was sure Elsa knew she could count on her.


	13. Chapter 13

Elsa had spent the rest of the day in her study, reviewing documents and drafting letters. That managed to take her out of her head for a while. And it made her feel useful. The hardest part of the job for her was sending people off to be on the frontlines while she stayed behind, overseeing everything. Every single person who was out there working for the good of the kingdom — from the farmers to the fishermen to the soldiers — counted on her to make the right decisions to keep them safe.

Later that night, as she tried to sleep, the fate of all those souls weighed heavy on her mind, as she agonized over every single decision she had ever made. What if Wael was right? What if her inexperience drove the kingdom into a war that she wouldn't be able to manage?

Needless to say, sleep was evading her. As the dread in her stomach snaked up to her chest and wrapped itself around it, making it difficult for her to breathe, she decided to give up and try something else.

Looking out the window had always offered her a certain peace. For years, it had been the only contact she had allowed herself with the outside world. Seeing the world move around her, the seasons change in a predictable rhythm, sometimes she allowed herself to daydream about what she might do out there if she were free. If she weren't confined to her bedroom walls, to her responsibilities as queen.

Now in her parent's old room, she didn't have to stick to looking out the window, she could step out into the balcony, but what she found outside was as predictable as it had ever been. For the most part. The first thing that caught her eye was the moon. The darkness of the chilly night was only disrupted by its bright silhouette. As Elsa's gaze drifted downward, though, she was surprised to see a torch lit in the new training area.

Brows knit, she looked closer as to who was there at such a late hour. The uniform gave away the fact that it was a soldier. She couldn't see the soldier's face, but the short wild red hair gave her away. What could she be doing there?

Elsa stepped back, and before thinking too much about it, she put on her slippers and made her way downstairs. Maybe something was wrong. And maybe she could be useful, if not to the kingdom then at least to Katherine.

* * *

Elsa was quickly stepping out of the castle. She noticed one of the hay targets had been moved out of the training room to the far left of the courtyard. On the opposite side, Katherine did a quick sprint and sent a spear flying toward the target. The soldier grunted in frustration when the spear missed its mark by mere inches.

Elsa watched endearingly as Katherine ran first to get the spear and then back to her throwing line. Just before she threw it again, though, Elsa had small ice boulders appear all around them.

Katherine, startled by their materialization out of thin air, turned toward Elsa, ready to throw the deadly weapon her way.

"Maybe with more light?" Elsa raised an eyebrow and had the boulders light up in different colors with a flick of her hand.

"Dammit," Katherine huffed under her breath. The adrenaline surge had her heart pounding.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you."

Katherine shook her head. "Don't worry about it, Your Majesty." She lowered the spear. "Is there something wrong?"

"No, not with me. I mean, I couldn't sleep, but that's not really new. I saw you were here and was wondering if something was wrong… with you?"

Katherine shrugged. "Couldn't sleep either. Actually, I didn't even try," she busied herself getting the target to put it back in the ice training room.

"Oh?" Elsa wondered aloud as she walked with Katherine.

She sighed. "It's the anniversary of my mother's death tomorrow. Or when we suppose it happened. I always have nightmares around these days. So I avoid sleep as much as I can, and by the time I try it again, I'm so exhausted I sleep like a rock."

Elsa nodded slowly, studying Katherine's features. There was a cold determination in those dark eyes. She had an idea of how grief worked. It could be cruel and relentless. And it could also be very lonely. Nobody dealt with loss the same way, but she didn't want Katherine to feel like she had to deal with it alone.

"You must be freezing," Elsa started, getting a shrug from the soldier. "Want to get out of here? I have an idea."

Katherine eyed Elsa carefully. She had already tried plenty of things herself and had found nothing that had helped. Despite of the fact that they both shared a difficult past, she wasn't sure that the queen knew of another way to alleviate the pain. She was starting to believe it would never subside. Then again, it couldn't hurt to give it a try. At the very least it would just be another way to distract herself. And she knew the audience with Wael had hit her hard today. Maybe Elsa needed some distraction too.

"Yeah. Okay."

* * *

Elsa had been bold by offering to help, not thinking much about the fact that she would actually have to carry out her proposition. The need to take the pain away had been too strong for her to think of anything else. But, as they silently made their way into the castle, Elsa grew nervous. Would Katherine be comfortable with what she had in mind?

"What do you think about us having a... a sort of sleepover?" Elsa said as she walked up the stairs of the Entrance Hall, not looking back at the soldier.

Katherine was surprised by the offer. Of all the ideas she could have had, this was definitely not one of them.

Elsa felt Katherine's hesitation, and even if it didn't last very long, it felt like a lifetime to her. "I was thinking it would maybe be more fun to stay up together, but if you're not up for it I totally—"

"No, no," Katherine was quick to reassure her. "It's a great idea. But I don't mean to be a bother to you. I can figure something out."

Elsa shook her head vehemently. "You are not a bother Katherine. Never think that. You have been a great friend to me. Will you allow me to do something for you too?"

Katherine was floored. Friend. She considered her a great friend. While a distant part of her mind, one she tried constantly to stay far away from, was wondering if being her friend was what she really wanted, a much more easily satisfied part was touched. So, she nodded with a small smile. "If you insist…"

Elsa grinned. "I do. Go get changed and meet me in the library."

* * *

Katherine and Elsa found themselves sometime later lying on cushions and blankets strewn over the floor of the library, playing chess in front of the roaring fire of the hearth.

Both women were experimented players, and both had occupations that involved them constantly trying to stay two steps ahead of their opponents. It could have been a formidable match had they not been equally distracted by each other.

After a few moves, Katherine mused aloud. "I know the point of the game is to protect the king, but really the most powerful piece is the queen. I always find myself wanting to protect the queen more than the king," she said, a corner of her mouth twisting upward.

"Huh. Must be an occupational hazard," Elsa said, amusement clear in her features.

"Must be, yeah," Katherine replied. This time, her smile was a full one.

After a few more turns played in silence, Elsa studied her adversary carefully as Katherine considered her next move, her eyes focused on the board.

_Could you imagine, instead of there being a king and a queen, if there were two queens? The power they would hold._

The insolent thought died in Elsa's throat before she could utter it when she noticed Katherine yawn for the fifth time in as many minutes.

"You're tired. Are you sure you don't want to try to get some sleep?" Elsa asked softly.

By now, Katherine was lying on her stomach, her head propped up on her hands. She groaned and let her face fall onto her pillow, muffling her voice. "I _am_ tired… But I'm too scared to try."

Elsa, who had been sitting in front of Katherine, with the chess board between them, scooted closer to the soldier. The need to comfort her was too strong, and she didn't feel words were enough.

When Elsa and Anna were younger, their mother used to run her finger from their foreheads down over their noses to put them to sleep. Elsa had always been comforted by the gesture and a part of her pictured herself bringing Katherine close, having her curl up against her body and soothe her to sleep. But there was no way she could do anything quite so intimate.

Hence, she only allowed her hand to travel to Katherine's arm to let the physical contact speak for her.

The cool touch had Katherine turning her head to glance at the queen's soft hand rubbing gentle circles on her arm before their eyes met.

The room was dark except for the warm light coming from the fireplace. Elsa searched Katherine's softly lit features for any sign of discomfort, but the small smile she gave her had her heart fluttering.

"You know what I used to do when I was locked in my room?" Elsa asked after a moment of comfortable silence. When Katherine shook her head, Elsa broke the physical contact, drawing her hands close to her lap. "I used to think about what my life would be like if I was like everybody else."

Katherine used her elbow to prop her head up again, turning her body sideways towards Elsa. "Like what?"

"Like… When I was younger, I used to imagine myself running around with Anna wreaking all kinds of havoc, tricks that we could pull on the tutors or the staff…"

Katherine raised her eyebrows. "And here I thought you had always been this perfectly behaved, proper girl."

Elsa chuckled to herself, lowering her gaze. "I guess I am. But that's not _all_ I am, you know," she met Katherine's eyes again, but this time, there was an unassuming mischief in her expression, which made the soldier's heart skip a beat.

Oh, Katherine was definitely becoming aware of how much more the queen could be.

* * *

After some laughter brought on by one of Elsa's prank ideas, she moved onto stories about what her ideal future looked like. By then, Katherine was back to lying on her stomach with her head on the pillow, turned toward Elsa.

As the queen recounted her life, Katherine got lost in her words, in the sweet, calming tone of Elsa's voice. The calm that her presence by her side brought her, added to the heat of the nearby fire created the perfect atmosphere, which had her limbs grow heavy in relaxation. Slowly, she felt herself drifting away, and even though she had tried to fight it initially, she eventually succumbed to exhaustion.

"Most of what I did was prepare for this job. There wasn't much else for me to do." Elsa, who had been staring at the wall in front of her as she went through old memories, brought her attention back to the present, becoming aware of the deep breathing coming from the soldier. The only other thing that could be heard in the room was the crackling of the fire. A small smile crept across her face as she saw her, fast asleep.

 _Mission accomplished_ , Elsa hoped.

She drew her legs close, hugging her knees. She sighed as she studied Katherine's peaceful features, free of any disguise or hardness.

God, she was gorgeous.

Katherine was a strong, smart, capable soldier. Elsa was very aware of all of that. And yet, all she wanted to do was take her into her arms to protect her from the world. But Elsa was also painfully aware of the fact that the things that hurt Katherine the most were her own demons.

Elsa knew too well how difficult it was to allow others to help fight them, but few things would make her as happy as having the possibility to be let into Katherine's life enough to stand by her side for that battle.

* * *

Elsa had a restless night. After having made sure Katherine was sleeping soundly, she had settled down herself, and even if she had fallen asleep fairly quickly, she had woken up every few hours to keep checking on her.

By the third or fourth time, she noticed the first signs of dawn through the window. As the fog of sleep cleared, she realized the room was significantly colder. A quick glance at the fireplace revealed the problem.

Elsa rose from her makeshift bed and approached the hearth. As she stared at the resulting gray and black pile of ashes, her mind wandered to the woman sleeping soundly at her feet. Elsa had loved the feeling it brought to her to be able to do something for Katherine, something that mattered. She knew how hard it was to keep the nightmares away.

Absentmindedly, she grabbed some kindling and a couple of the logs that were stacked beside the fireplace and tried to lay them as quietly as possible on the ashes. She stared at the pieces of wood for a moment, the cogwheels turning in her head, trying to think of other ways she could be of help.

"I don't think staring at it will ignite it. Unless you also have fire-vision powers?"

Elsa jumped, startled by the soldier's hoarse voice. She turned around to face her. "Did I wake you?"

"You didn't," Katherine reassured her as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

"Sleep well?"

Katherine stretched her arms above her head, feeling the slumber leave her muscles. "Yeah." She glanced around the room and was impressed by the amount of sunlight that filtered into it. At this time of year, she was used to waking up before the break of dawn. "Very. I think I needed that."

"Good. I'm glad."

"Need some help with that?" Katherine jumped to her feet and placing herself right behind Elsa, she reached for the box of matches that was on top of the fireplace in front of her.

The queen turned her head slightly as Katherine handed her the small object. Their fingers brushed for an instant, and their eyes met over Elsa's shoulder.

Elsa swallowed, entranced by the heat of the body that was just a few inches behind her, and her gaze flickered to Katherine's mouth before she turned to ignite the wood.

Elsa bit her lower lip as they remained close together, afraid to move an inch, not wanting to startle the other woman, as they watched the fire quickly start consuming the thinner pieces of wood before roaring to life. Not unlike the tumultuous feelings that were making Elsa's heart pound in her chest.

Katherine spoke, making Elsa turn her head toward her again. "Didn't know the Snow Queen could be so good with fire."

Elsa was getting used to staring into those enthralling dark eyes, but she still got helplessly lost in their enigmatic calmness every time she did. As the seconds passed, she noticed Katherine's eyebrows lift in expectation.

Elsa cleared her throat and got her attention back to the fire. "I had never thought of that. It can come in handy, I guess."

Katherine chuckled. "Your powers know no bounds."

Katherine finally stepped away to start picking up the pillows and covers that had served as a bed last night. Reluctantly, Elsa moved to help her. She wouldn't have minded sharing her personal space for a little while longer.

Suddenly, Katherine looked over at Elsa, her brows furrowed, and her head tilted. She looked confused. The queen stopped what she was doing, her eyes saying, 'yes?'

"You _are_ really powerful. You could take over the world if you wanted to."

Elsa lifted her gaze to the ceiling in thought, holding the pillow in her hands closer to her chest. "I guess I just don't have that in me. My dreams have never involved power or domination over… anything really."

 _What are they about?_ Was Katherine's next question, but before she had the chance to ask it, someone knocked at the door.

"Your Majesty?" Gerda's muffled voice came through the door.

Katherine dropped a folded blanket on top of the pile they were making on the sofa before opening the door.

"Yes, Gerda?" Elsa asked, moving closer to them.

"Sorry to intrude, but you got some mail from the army. I thought you would want to see it as soon as possible," she said, handing Elsa two envelopes.

"Yes, thank you," Elsa replied, reading the names on the letters.

As Gerda left, Katherine was about to go back to finish picking up the things they had slept on when Elsa offered her one of the envelopes.

"One is for you. From your father."

Katherine was surprised. She wasn't expecting news from him. "Thanks," she took it and turned it over in her hand a couple of times.

When Elsa saw her hesitation, sensing a need for privacy, she asked, "Want to go get changed and you can meet me for breakfast?"

Katherine loved the idea, but she threw a glance at the things still on the floor, not wanting to leave Elsa alone with it all.

But before she could say anything, Elsa noticed again and reassured her. "It's okay. I'll take care of this. You can go."

Satisfied by that and with an increasing urge to read what her father had written for her, Katherine rushed out of the room, but not before she said, "See you downstairs!"

Elsa watched her leave with an amused smile, but the levity left the room with Katherine. She sighed as she opened the letter, hoping for good news but dreading the worst.


	14. Chapter 14

Katherine practically sprinted through the castle toward her room. When she got there, she closed the door behind herself and sat on her bed, where she opened the letter.

She quickly pored over father's handwriting. As she read, she felt herself relax, finding comfort and solace in his words. While the dull aching remained in her heart, the tears welling in her eyes weren't of sorrow, but of tenderness.

In his letter, Magnus reminded Katherine how, even if it had been ten years since Lillian's passing, she was still with them, watching over them. She would always be as long as they remembered her. Through his words, her father felt as close to her as he ever had. Regardless of where they were or what they were doing, both would be thinking of the same thing today, mourning the same woman who had spent her life helping people, spreading healing and love, and had lost it in the worst way imaginable.

She let the letter fall on the bed as she stood and walked to her dresser. On top of it, besides her calendar and the gloves she had left there the night before, was a little square wooden box. She opened it to reveal a necklace and held it tightly in her hand close to her chest, closing her eyes, her fingers wrapped around the cool silver pendant, an infinity shape winding through and around a heart. Magnus had given it to her mother as a wedding gift, when they had promised forever to each other. It was Katherine's most prized possession.

As she reveled in the memories of her mother, and of the family they had been together, it dawned on Katherine how even if today was the day she remembered the worst time of her life, she felt more connected than ever to her parents. She supposed she could try to find comfort in that, since there wasn't much else in the way of silver linings around this situation.

She put the necklace gently back in the box and went to pick up the letter to place it beside it.

Magnus was no stranger to loss. A few years ago, he had shared with Katherine the way he was able to go on with his life when the darkness seemed to overpower everything else, and he had reminded her of it in his letter.

_Keep living, keep fighting. That's all we can do to honor those we have lost._

/

After taking some time to gather herself, Katherine got dressed and joined Elsa at the dining room.

Elsa looked up from her plate when she heard her come in and greeted her with a smile. It faded when she noticed Katherine's reddened eyes. She had been crying. But her spirits seemed higher than the day before.

"Everything okay?" Elsa asked as Katherine took her place by her side.

Katherine offered her a tight-lipped smile and decided to go with the truth. "I will be."

Elsa nodded, her hand itching to grab Katherine's, which rested on the table. But something stopped her. It had been easier for Elsa to offer a comforting touch the night before. It seemed that under the cover of the softly lit darkness, spontaneity came easier for her. Out in the open like this, in the harsh light of day, her old doubting, closed-off self was closer to the surface.

"What about you?" Katherine asked between bites, noticing the queen's far-off look.

"Me? Oh, the letter," Elsa said, snapping back into reality. "It was just an update, so everything seems to be going well on their front. Some more resources are needed, and I have to reunite with the council to sort some things out, but they're holding strong."

"Good, that's good," Katherine said, focused on her breakfast. She hadn't realized how hungry she had been.

A half smile crept onto Elsa's face, glad to see the soldier's appetite was back. "Listen, I will spend the morning in meetings, so you can do whatever you wish. We can meet back here for lunch."

"Yeah, okay," Katherine nodded into her plate, thoroughly enjoying the food.

"Alright," Elsa said as she stood up. "See you later." As she passed behind Katherine, she allowed herself to give the soldier's shoulder a friendly squeeze before walking out of the room, satisfying the urge that had come upon her earlier.

Katherine's eyes were on Elsa's hand as soon as she felt her touch, and her gaze remained on the queen as she left. "See you…" she said softly. Elsa's regal presence enthralled her, managing to make her forget the delicious breakfast that had been occupying her mind just a second before.

 _That woman is really beautiful_ , Katherine thought to herself. She wondered if it was her magical powers that gave her such an enchanting aura, if that was what rendered Katherine incapable of shaking her image from her thoughts.

* * *

Anna skipped out of the castle on her way to the village, when she noticed some soldiers were sword fighting in the courtyard. She stopped to watch them and noticed that Katherine was there.

She remembered the time when she was a teenager when she had pestered some castle soldiers into teaching her how to use a sword and to give her some pointers as to how to handle herself in that kind of fighting. It had been so long ago, she wondered if she could still take someone on.

Anna smiled as she approached the three soldiers, who were taking turns fighting each other. "Hey, you guys," she said, making them stop.

"Your Highness," Robert and Brit said in unison as they turned toward her and bowed their heads.

"What can we do for you?" Katherine asked.

"Can I join in?" Anna said with a smile.

The men looked at each other in disbelief. Had they heard right?

Katherine raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Princess, sword fighting, even in training, can be dangerous. Are you sure you—"

"Oh, I am. May I, Mr. Svane?" she gestured toward Robert to lend her his sword.

He looked down at it, then at Katherine, who shrugged, before handing it over.

Anna lifted the sword and pointed it at Katherine and Brit, who looked at her dumbfounded. "What? Afraid I'll beat you?" she said, in mock defiance.

Katherine was more afraid of what Elsa might do if she found them fighting her little sister. But she was curious to see what this would lead to.

"Okay," Katherine said, repressing the urge to ask Anna if she didn't prefer to start out with wooden swords. "I'll take you on." She got closer to Anna and they both adopted a fighting stance.

If Katherine hadn't been so busy planning to go easy on the princess, she might have noticed that Anna's footing was already demonstrating more skill than the soldier was giving her credit for.

"Ready, set, fight!" Brit said. He was watching with Robert from a few feet away.

Anna was lighting fast on her first blow, catching Katherine by surprise. The soldier had been concentrating so hard on how to fight in a way that wouldn't hurt Anna that she hadn't covered her bases, so she was immediately relegated to the defense position, quickly overwhelmed by the hits the princess was throwing at her. Soon, Anna was advancing on Katherine, and since her footing was not stable, she only barely managed to counter Anna's moves as she was forced backward.

The princess was quick, and she was skilled. In a blur of swinging arms and the accelerating rhythm of metal striking metal, Katherine soon found herself with her back to the ice wall of the training area. Having run out of room to maneuver, she waved a metaphorical white flag.

"Okay, okay," she said quickly, making Anna stop.

The princess' expression turned from fierce concentration to pure delight. "Guess I still remember what our soldiers taught me. Rule number one: never underestimate the enemy," she threw a knowing glance at Katherine, who was panting, leaning against the icy wall.

The soldier was glad neither of them had been hitting to actually hurt each other, because she would have been in a lot of trouble if that had been the case.

Katherine smiled and lowered her eyes. Anna was right. She should have known better. How many times had men regretted doing that with her? But it hadn't taken long for them to understand she was a force to be reckoned with.

Which was why Robert and Brit were truly impressed as they walked closer to the women.

"Your Highness, you're good," Robert said.

"I'm a little rusty but it's good to know I've still got it. After all, you never know when it might come in handy," she playfully pointed the sword at Robert, and he instinctively got nervous and raised his hands in defense, making Anna chuckle. "Don't worry, gentlemen. I still trust you're the best for the job."

Robert smiled, but he was still relieved to get his sword back.

The noon bell rang, signaling it was time for lunch. The boys looked at the equipment that had been taken out of the training room and onto the courtyard, silently deciding who would be stuck cleaning up before going to eat. Katherine smiled at them and sent them off.

"I'll take care of it. Go get your lunch."

They didn't have to be told twice, so off they went. "See you later," one of them threw her way as they rushed into the castle.

"I can help," Anna said, moving to get one of the hay targets.

* * *

Elsa came out of a long but productive meeting with her council in need of some fresh air before she tackled the rest of her workday. She was reassured by her advisors' expertise and quick reaction, but her confidence in her own abilities wavered, as it often did after a few hours of putting on a brave face for them. Why was she the one in charge, again?

She walked into her bedroom to make her way to her balcony. Below it was a direct view of the courtyard, and she might have been persuaded to go there to get a chance to see a certain soldier in action without her noticing before they met for lunch.

She quickly spotted the training soldiers, but she didn't find what she was expecting. Two soldiers were watching from the sidelines as Katherine dueled with… Anna!

Elsa's instinct immediately had her rushing through the castle to get to the courtyard. If she had stayed just a second longer, she would have realized that it was Katherine who was more in danger than Anna.

In fact, the battle had been so quick, that by the time she had made it to the front door of the castle, Robert and Brit were already walking inside.

"Your Majesty," they bowed their heads as they passed her.

She stood by the door watching Anna and Katherine conversing pleasantly as her heartbeat slowed down and her breathing calmed. And the agitation wasn't just because she had practically run through the castle. She trusted Katherine, but the thought of Anna getting hurt had made every alarm system in her body go into full alert.

Taking a deep breath, she finally started toward the pair to find out what the hell that had been.

As she approached them, she overheard their conversation.

"You know, a big part of fighting, at least in the army, is the gathering of information about your opponent. When you know who you're going to fight, you try to figure out their vulnerabilities in order to take advantage of them," Katherine explained as she grabbed the spears that had been left on the ground.

"Does it work the same in one-on-one combat?" Anna wondered, dragging another hay target into the icy room.

"The principle is the same, but the execution is a little bit more complicated. In one-on-one, you usually have to figure out your opponent as you're fighting them. But what's important to remember is that everyone has a weakness. You just have to find it."

"Oh, yeah?" Elsa chimed in as she finally made it near the training room. Anna and Katherine had been so engrossed in their conversation and what they were doing that they hadn't noticed Elsa approach them, so they turned in surprise to face her.

"What's yours, soldier?" She raised her eyebrow. Her expression was cool, but there was a playful twinkle in her eye.

Katherine walked out of the room and met the queen's gaze and warmth spread across her chest at the sight. The first thing that came to her mind was _you_ , but she quickly reined herself in. She smiled to herself, lowering her gaze, and shook her head.

"Now, with all due respect, if I told you, I'd have to kill you, Your Majesty." She glanced back at Anna, who was still inside. "That's another trick. Keep your vulnerabilities close. The more your opponent knows about you, the more dangerous they are. But you already know that, don't you, Your Majesty?" She said, looking at Elsa again.

Elsa nodded. "I do. I don't know if I've been very good at hiding my weaknesses though. What would you say they are, soldier?"

Katherine's head filled with ideas. Anna, fear, guilt, doubt… those were probably some of the greatest chinks in her queen's armor. Finally, she smiled. "I seem to recall you can't resist…" she looked around for a moment, as if she was about to reveal a state secret. "Chocolate," she whispered conspiratorially.

In mock indignation, Elsa brought a hand to her chest. "Well, that is very personal, soldier."

"But it's true," Anna chimed in. She came out of the room and put her arm around Elsa's shoulders.

Elsa and Katherine shared a smile. It was true that Elsa had a weakness for chocolate. But that was not what had her heart speeding up at the moment.

"All this talk about chocolate has made me hungry," she declared, turning to her sister. "Ready for lunch?"

"Yes!" Anna exclaimed. "All that fighting has me starving," she winked at Katherine.

"Yeah, what was that all about?" Elsa asked, throwing a curious glance at Katherine as they started toward the castle.

Katherine gulped. "It was her idea," she said quickly. "Also she beat my butt, so she was never in any danger, I promise."

"Don't worry," Elsa said, noticing the edge of apprehension in the way Katherine defended herself. "I know Anna can convince anyone to do pretty much anything."


	15. Chapter 15

Less than two weeks after the delegates had been sent to Hodgevike, Elsa did what all Arendelle monarchs had done for hundreds of years. That was except for the three-year hiatus between her parents' death and her coronation. She sat in her throne at the Audience Chamber and listened to her citizens' problems to try to help solve them. It was a cherished tradition that the queen took very seriously and put all her heart in.

About halfway through the day's audiences, after just hearing a baker who was having trouble making ends meet and wondered if the castle needed some pastries, Kai rushed into the room and passed beside the line of villagers to get to Elsa.

Instinctively, Katherine, who had been standing to the side the throne, stepped closer to the queen.

Kai bowed his head as he approached her.

"I'm so sorry to interrupt, Your Majesty," he leaned close to her to whisper in her ear that the dignitaries who had been sent to Hodgevike had returned.

Relief washed over her. They had made it back safe and sound. She looked at the people waiting to be listened to and rose to her feet.

"I'm very sorry, but we'll have to cut this short today. Have a happy Holiday season, and don't hesitate to come back next month if you need to."

A hum of protestations rippled across the group of subjects, but the room emptied quickly as they left begrudgingly. As the last villagers left, Elsa asked Kai to send the dignitaries in.

"Do you think it will be good news?" Katherine asked.

"I don't know," Elsa said, apprehension overcoming the relief she had felt just a few moments ago. "But I hope so."

A lone soldier dressed in a dark blue military jacket strode into the Chamber. His attire was in a dire state, as was the man himself. His features looked worn and bags had formed under his eyes, but there was determination in his gaze. It was as if he was running on pure willpower.

Elsa recognized Lieutenant Thorn. She felt her stomach clench as she remembered that he hadn't been sent alone. As he bowed before her in ceremony, she had to ask, even if she dreaded the answer. "Where's Lieutenant Rask?"

As Thorn lifted his head, the tragic look covering his face said it all. "Oliver didn't make it back. The Hodgevike men caught up to us. They wanted to send a message. That's the only reason I'm still alive."

Only one man was needed to send a message, Elsa thought as a chill ran down her spine. There was guilt in his eyes behind the solemn appearance. She recognized it immediately because she felt it too.

Katherine stood there in disbelief. The possibility of dying in their line of work was always looming over their heads. They were all ready to sacrifice their lives for the kingdom. But it was an abstract idea, a far-off possibility in a peaceful place like Arendelle. And this impending war had just made it real. Too real.

Mouth slightly agape, Katherine looked sideways at Elsa, wondering how she was handling the news. There was a moment where shock was visible in her eyes too, but it was quickly replaced by a look of sincere condolence tinged with the reassurance that came from a leader that was in control and seemed ready to take action.

Elsa stood, tall, regal, her hands laced in front of her body. She bowed her head slightly at her soldier. "I am very sorry for what you had to go through, Lieutenant. Do you think you could tell me what happened?"

Katherine was always floored by the immense respect the queen showed to every one of her subjects. That was why they all loved her. Everyone seemed worthy in her eyes, regardless of their status.

"Yes, Your Majesty," he replied before he quickly went over what had happened.

He recounted how the army presence at the border of Hodgevike had been alarming, and how, when they asked to speak to their king, they were imprisoned and taken somewhere for a few days until Oddvar finally graced them with his presence.

He wouldn't hear anything of what they had to say. He only announced his intentions and his demands. Basically, he wouldn't stop until Arendelle was either his or destroyed. And just to get his point across about how far he was willing to go, as both Arendellian soldiers left the castle on their horses, he gave the order to his men to shoot one of them in the back.

Katherine was fuming. It took a particularly ruthless coward to do something like that. Where was the honor? Even between enemies at war, there was a code, a minimal amount of respect. At least with worthy opponents.

Elsa considered this information gravely. This was worse than she had wanted to believe. But even if she was shaken, her demeanor remained as cool as ice. That was, until she addressed the soldier, when a calm warmth shone through.

"Thank you. You have done a great service to your kingdom. Take some time for yourself, for your family. You have earned it."

"That is very generous, Your Majesty. But if I may, I'd like to be part of your army to confront Oddvar. He must pay for what he did."

"Alright," Elsa nodded. "But be careful. Revenge can be a reckless driver. You may go. Can you ask Kai to call an emergency council meeting, please?"

"Of course. Thank you, Queen Elsa." He bowed before leaving.

When Elsa and Katherine were left alone in the room, the queen heaved a sigh and let herself fall back into her throne.

Katherine observed her carefully, feeling completely and utterly useless. She had to try something, though. "You okay?"

Elsa shrugged, rolling her shoulders to try to relieve some of the tension that had settled over her. "They're all counting on me."

Katherine, still standing beside the throne, allowed herself to place a comforting hand on Elsa's shoulder. "For good reason. You're a solid, caring leader."

Elsa glanced at the hand on her shoulder and gave Katherine a half smile. It was a magical, warm touch that managed to slow down her pounding heartbeat as effectively as it had made her heart race on other occasions.

"Thank you. I try to be. I just feel like every step I take is a hurdle. If I'm still standing after taking it, it's a small victory. But if I fall, I'm taking the whole kingdom down with me."

Katherine took back her hand and moved to stand in front of Elsa. "But you _are_ still standing. And if you ever stumble, there's a bunch of us who won't let you fall. You have your family, your council, and, for whatever it's worth… you have me."

Elsa felt herself melt back into her seat, the weight of her responsibilities evaporating into thin air for a glorious few seconds. She wasn't used to counting on people. She was getting better at it, but her default was always dealing with it alone. However, the idea of having someone — no, not someone — _Katherine_ , by her side, gave her a sense of security she was starting to believe she could get used to.

"Thank you. I do appreciate it."

Katherine shrugged humbly. She would never let her fall. It wasn't even a choice for her.

"Speaking of which," Elsa started, rising to her feet, feeling the tension settle on her shoulders again. "I should probably go get Anna for this."

* * *

When Elsa and Anna arrived at the Council Chamber, the advisors stood. As the sisters took their places, Elsa took in the grim faces around the table of the advisors who were all already there.

"Sit down, please," Elsa said in a sober tone as they all took their places. "I suppose you have all been briefed regarding the situation?" When they all nodded, she proceeded. "We tried to approach this in a civilized manner, but it seems like King Oddvar refuses to do the same."

" _Now_ can we go to war?" Thomas Raynor asked. He was a firm proponent of the defend-yourself-ask-questions-never approach.

Anna turned to fulminate him with her eyes. She didn't appreciate the thinly veiled condescending tone of the statement.

Elsa noticed her sister react out of the corner of her eye and, before Anna had the time to utter the feisty comeback that was sure to come, she placed a calming hand on Anna's shoulder.

That made her look back at Elsa. Her big sister's eyes said, 'I've got this,' so she deflated, leaning back into her seat.

Elsa had also felt the condescension of his tone, but she had learned long ago that it was easy to blame the people who made the hard decisions when things didn't work out. However, someone needed to make them, and she found a way to believe she made the best of choices under the circumstances and with the information available to her. She had to. Otherwise, with the number of decisions she had to make every day, she would have crumbled under the pressure long ago.

She was particularly good at it in the presence of others. She played the role that had been thrust upon her well. But in the loneliness of her room, it was harder to keep the doubts at bay.

"Do you think we need to retaliate?" Elsa directed the question at Captain Rapp.

"I do believe it is our best option now. If we don't start taking the lead soon, he will."

"What if we took a defensive only stance?" Elsa wondered out loud, hoping there was a way to avoid as much deployment as possible.

"I believe that would take more of a toll on our people. Even if we could hold him off for a while, he tends to not stop until he's gotten what he wants. I think it would be more efficient to try to stop him in his tracks," the military expert explained.

Elsa was considering the information when Anna spoke.

"What if Elsa set off an eternal winter in Hodgevike? Maybe that could paralyze them."

Elsa felt her heart fall to her stomach. She didn't want to use her powers for war purposes. It might slow them down, but she didn't feel making everybody in Oddvar's kingdom pay for the decisions of their ruler was fair.

"Must I remind you, Your Highness," Raynor interjected. "That we are in the middle of winter? Also, it was Oddvar himself who decided to start a war in December. They must already be prepared for these conditions."

Elsa felt her breathing ease, if only slightly. At least her council wouldn't ask her to do it. She didn't like the idea of being used as a weapon, but she understood how the people around her might see it as a tempting option, an easy solution. But having her sister see her as such? That made an uneasy feeling settle in her heart.

"Right," Anna conceded. She had really thought it was a good idea. Yet, as was often the case for the impulsive princess, she found a quick fix without considering much else. For instance, she hadn't realized how saying something like that would make Elsa feel like a monster again.

But Elsa knew her sister. She wanted to be helpful, to make everything better. Her intentions were pure if her solution shortsighted.

"It was a good idea," Elsa gave Anna a warm half smile. She pushed the hurt away. This was no time to feel sorry for herself. They had a kingdom to protect.

"We're going to war then," she said regretfully as the councilmembers nodded their approval. "I'm going to need you guys to work out a strategy." Elsa looked at Rapp and Olson. "And I think it's a good time to call back General Anderson."

* * *

During winter, while his ice business was on hold, Kristoff made himself useful around the castle doing odd jobs here and there. His favorite place to work, by far, was at the stables, where we was in charge of taking care of the horses. Having grown up with a reindeer as his closest friend, he felt more comfortable around animals and other living beings than around other humans.

With humans, he always felt as if he was playing a game, wondering what they wanted from him. It was difficult to size people up. And while he never compromised his own personality to please anyone, he did make a conscious effort to keep up with all the social cues and expectations that came with being a princess's boyfriend, if only to try to not give any trouble to Anna for having him around. And it was exhausting.

With animals, it was simple. Respect them and treat them well and they will do the same to you. No games, no masks, no second guessing. Just mutual companionship.

This morning, Kristoff busied himself around the stables grooming the horses. The animals and him shared a quiet moment as he brushed them with care. That was, until Anna barged in.

"Oh, there you are," she said, approaching him before she planted a quick kiss on his cheek.

"Hey," he said, not taking his eyes off what he was doing.

"I need some help."

"With?" Kristoff turned to face Anna, as he was done with that particular horse.

"Elsa's birthday is this weekend, and I don't have to tell you how important this one is. It's the first birthday in forever we get to spend together, so I want it to be perfect!"

Also, as of the day before, Elsa was officially in charge of war efforts against another kingdom. She deserved to have a day were all those worries were as far away from her mind as possible.

"And you've come to me for… ideas?" he asked, raising an eyebrow, puzzled. "Usually, you are the one who has plenty of those."

"No, that's the problem. I have too many ideas. I need your help to help narrow them down."

"Okay," Kristoff said, moving onto the next horse. "What did you have in mind?"

"I was thinking we could surprise her in the morning with a special breakfast with lots of chocolate and pancakes and fruit and—"

"Okay, okay," Kristoff interrupted with a laugh. "That sounds great."

"And then maybe we could play some games. Oh! And we could involve the town in something fun too. We don't have much time left, but we could set up a special performance or, I don't know, something that could showcase the talent of our people. And I should get a cake made! How big do you think it should be? It _is_ a very special occasion."

Kristoff narrowed his eyes as she rambled, and when she noticed, she stopped. "What?"

"And all this is for Elsa?"

"Mm-hmm," she nodded, her eyes wide with excitement thinking of all of the possibilities. "And the traditional banquet and ball for the queen's birthday would finish the day," Anna concluded.

Kristoff was unsure. "That sounds like a busy day."

"I want her to have a good time. And all that sounds like an amazing day to me."

"I get that but… I guess it does sound more like the kind of busy day filled with activities and games that _you_ would enjoy. Maybe Elsa would prefer something quieter?"

Kristoff and Elsa were very similar in that respect. Compared to Anna, they appreciated calm and quiet moments as much as — if not more than — exciting adventures.

"So you don't think she would like any of my ideas?"

"I think she would gladly do anything you proposed to, but if you _really_ want to please her, you might want to consider something else? I mean, she spends her days working, moving from one job to the next. She might appreciate a more relaxing day."

Anna considered it for a moment. "A less exciting day…" she mused when Olaf burst in on them.

"Anna, Kristoff! I just found the most exciting thing!"

* * *

Later that day, most soldiers had been called to the training headquarters to be briefed on the brewing war. It had had a sobering effect on all of them, especially the younger recruits.

As Katherine's class was mostly free for the evening, she decided to stay with them and share a pint around the fire outside, as they often did when the weather permitted it after hard days of training.

Usually, conversation drifted to how, beyond the honor of defending their kingdom, having people worth fighting for kept them motivated to keep training in case they would ever be called into battle.

It was easy to romanticize the idea of sacrificing your life for someone for young people who had recently joined the ranks of an army that hadn't been involved in an armed conflict in decades. Also, they were mostly young men grappling for the first time with the intoxicating throes of romance.

Tonight, the circumstances were different, but the conversation ended up in the same subject.

"Now that war is an actual possibility, how many of you guys actually have a girl worth fighting for?" One of them asked, wanting to lighten the heavy atmosphere.

A few sniggers rippled through the group as the boys poked fun at those who were single.

Katherine rolled her eyes but couldn't help the smile that stretched her lips. She usually kept quiet when the conversation went there, never having personally known what romantic love felt like. Even the idea of fighting like that for a man she might love someday was foreign to her.

But something was different tonight. Something that made her bold and loosened her tongue, and it wasn't the alcohol.

"Oh, come on boys. Even _I_ have a girl worth fighting for!" She let the silence hang over them for a moment as brows were furrowed around her and Alex threw her a sideways glance. "The queen?"

Now it was her fellow soldiers' turn to roll their eyes at her.

"I'm just saying, motivation can come from anywhere, not just romantic love."

While Katherine _did_ believe this, her statement had meant more than that and she knew it. She just wasn't ready to admit it to herself quite so earnestly yet.

But Elsa _was_ becoming a girl worth fighting for in Katherine's heart, and not just in the sense that involved warfare. Her friendship was worth fighting for. Her _love_ was worth fighting for.

Love.

The butterflies in her stomach, the warm feeling spreading across her chest, the way she felt when she looked at her, what even just thinking of Elsa did to her... That's what it had to be, right?

The breath hitched in her throat at the realization, and she was glad the attention had moved on to another young soldier who was proudly talking about his latest lady-friend conquest.

She had to admit the thought wasn't exactly new. It had been swirling around in her mind for some time now, struggling to pierce through the thick wall of her rationality and professionalism. But she couldn't deny it anymore.

What should she do about it? Was there anything she _could_ do?


	16. Chapter 16

It was the morning of Elsa's twenty-second birthday, and as soon as Anna woke up, she was excited to share this special day with her sister.

After weeks of agonizing over what the perfect birthday celebration would be, Kristoff and Olaf had been very helpful in finding something she thought was meaningful enough. In any case, she would only get half a day to carry out her plan, since the special banquet and ball in honor of the queen's birthday was not negotiable according to traditions that hadn't been respected in years, but the sisters had decided were worth bringing back, if not for their own benefit, at least to bring some sense of normalcy back to the kingdom.

Anna went to grab Kristoff as soon as she was ready. She had enlisted his help for the special breakfast she had in mind. Soon, they found themselves in the kitchen. It was so early that the cooks and other kitchen staff were mostly all still asleep. That was why the couple was surprised to see Katherine sitting at the small wooden table in the middle of the room. She was wearing the full soldier winter uniform, except for the hat and gloves, which rested on the table.

"Good morning, Princess," she scrambled to her feet as soon as she saw them and bowed her head at Anna.

"Good morning, Katherine," Anna smiled, a little confused by her presence.

"I heard you were going to prepare a surprise for the queen's birthday. I… I was wondering if I could maybe help out?"

She had barely slept the night before, the idea of being in love with Elsa making angry butterflies take over her stomach and her brain scramble to understand how that was possible and what could happen next. It was as painful as it was exhilarating, and she didn't think she could live with the uncertainty of it all for much longer.

Would the queen's birthday be a good occasion for her guard to tell her she was in love with her?

The jury was still out on that one. In the meantime, she had thought helping out this morning would put her brain to better use instead of taking her from one overwhelming feeling to the next in a never ending cycle of dread and elation.

 _But this had been a terrible idea, hadn_ _'t it?_ A part of Katherine's brain helpfully supplied as she saw the confusion in the princess' eyes. She was now starting to regret not having asked before. This was a family thing. No one needed her there.

But Anna's expression quickly turned into a beaming smile, interrupting Katherine's dismaying train of thought. She knew Elsa cared a lot for the soldier. And they needed all the help they could get. "Of course!"

Katherine visibly relaxed, her usual cool facade nowhere to be found.

"So, where do we start?" Kristoff offered, wanting to spare Katherine further scrutiny. He was intrigued by the soldier's apparent and uncharacteristic lack of self-control at the moment.

Time flew by as the trio got to work preparing the snowman-shaped pancakes and everything chocolate.

As they were finally setting up the dining table, Katherine noticed the first signs of sunrise through the tall windows. Elsa was probably soon to wake up. That was if she hadn't already.

"Princess Anna, I should probably go check if the queen is ready."

"Yeah, alright," Anna said, not even looking up from the final decorations she was adding on the snowmen pancakes with white frosting. She would have liked to be the one to go get Elsa, but she wanted everything to be perfect when she got there.

Katherine felt giddiness overpower her as she got to Elsa's quarters. She even fought the urge to sprint there. Managing to remain calm and poised, at least in her exterior, she reached the doors of Elsa's room.

As she knocked, she realized she was the first person who would wish her a happy birthday. The prospect had warmth spreading across her chest.

"A moment, please!" Elsa shouted from inside.

She emerged a few minutes later, as gorgeous as ever in her pale purple everyday-wear dress.

"Good morning, Your Majesty," Katherine bowed her head customarily, unable to hide the elation in her smile.

"Good morning, Katherine," Elsa had been expecting Anna, so she was surprised to see the soldier. Not unpleasantly so.

"Happy birthday." By now, Katherine's smile was almost timid, and now it was Elsa who was beaming.

"Thank you."

"Princess Anna is expecting you in the dining room," Katherine said after a pause, having been dangerously close of losing herself in Elsa's bright blue eyes.

They made their way in companionable silence to where Anna and Kristoff had served breakfast. As they walked into the dining room, Elsa barely had time to lay eyes on the formidable breakfast that was set up for her before Anna took her into a hug.

"Happy birthday, Elsa!"

"Thank you, Anna. So much. Wow!" She exclaimed as her sister finally let her take a look at the table. "You did this all for me?" she asked, touched.

"Of course! It was the least I could do," Anna replied softly. "But I didn't do it alone. Kristoff and Katherine were of great help."

Elsa was astounded by that. She had expected Kristoff to be a part of it. He was almost as wrapped around Anna's little finger as Elsa was. But Katherine? She probably had more exciting and important things to do than help her sister with this. She wasn't even officially on duty yet.

She looked at Kristoff first, who smiled at her, and said, "Thank you, this is really sweet."

"Happy birthday, Elsa."

They shared a quick hug and then she turned toward Katherine, who had remained closer to the door. The soldier, by reflex, lowered her eyes and Elsa smiled, approaching her.

Elsa had noticed in the last weeks how the woman who had faced arguably scarier opponents in training and who would walk unflinchingly into a battlefield, averted her eyes when Elsa showed her any kind of affection.

Elsa wanted to ask her why she seemed to intimidate her so, wanted to place her index finger under Katherine's chin to gently lift her gaze to meet her own so Elsa could assure her there was nothing to be afraid of. Her hand longed to move in that direction, but she restrained herself. After all, she was better at holding herself back than at acting out her impulses.

So, instead, she said, "I appreciate it. You didn't have to—"

At that, Katherine did meet her eyes. "I wanted to. It was my pleasure. I hope you like it."

"I'm sure I'll love it. Come on." Elsa motioned for the solider to get closer to the table. Looking at everyone, she said, "Let's dig in!"

* * *

"Alright." Anna stood once they were all done. "Ready for your birthday surprise?" she asked Elsa.

Elsa lifted an eyebrow. "Wasn't this it?" she said, without really meaning it. She suspected she had a packed day ahead of her.

"Definitely not. Now you're coming with me," Anna said pointedly, reaching for her sister's hand.

Understanding that it would only be the two of them for the next part, Elsa stood and faced the rest of the group. "Thank you for breakfast. It was amazing."

"Glad you liked it," Kristoff said with a smile as Katherine shrugged humbly.

Elsa's eyes lingered on the soldier for a second. "Katherine, please, take the rest of the day off. And, if you were so inclined, I would love it if you joined us for the banquet tonight as our guest."

Katherine's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Are you sure? There will be a lot of people there, and my job—"

"I know what your job is," Elsa said, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "But there will be plenty of other guards. Let me do this for you, after all you've done for me."

There was a sheepish glint in Elsa's eyes as she threw her a pleading look, and Katherine couldn't but to accept.

* * *

"I asked Kai and Gerda to take care of business so you could get the day off," Anna explained as they walked through the castle hallways.

"Oh, yeah? And what for?" Elsa lifted an eyebrow in question, curious about what her sister had in store for her.

"Olaf found something very interesting yesterday," Anna said cryptically as they entered the library.

At the far-off corner, an old horse statue stood as if it was protecting the books. It had an angry expression permanently etched on its stone face. Its two front hooves furiously out in the air, bared teeth, and blank eyes had scared Anna when she was a child. The delicate starfish and seashells carved into its mane did nothing to make it less menacing.

Elsa looked on expectantly as Anna approached the statue.

"Did you have any idea this was here?" Anna said, pressing down on one of the horse's rear legs, which sunk down like a lever. A clicking sound was followed by the grinding sound of gears turning on each other.

Elsa gasped as she watched the bookcase behind the statue swing inward like a door, revealing an archway.

The look of shock in her sister's face confirmed to Anna that she had had no idea about this, and a part of herself was glad not to be the last one to learn about a secret for once.

"What— How?" Elsa managed to say.

"He was trying to reach some books and he accidentally uncovered the secret room. That's all I know for now. I was waiting to show you to go inside."

As shocked as she had been about the discovery, the fact that Anna had waited an entire day to go into it was even more impressive to Elsa. She knew how impatient her sister was, so she was particularly moved by her waiting to surprise her.

"Then let's not wait any longer. Let's see what's in there!"

* * *

Katherine was nervous. She had just been invited to the queen's birthday banquet as the royal family's guest and she had no idea what she was supposed to do about it.

She was fine being a guard. She knew what she was expected to do, how she was supposed to act. But being a civilian? She could barely remember how that had been like. Katherine had not been much other than her job for a long time.

It would be the first time she wouldn't be wearing her literal and figurative armor around Elsa. The idea terrified her.

Walking around the village trying to find something she could wear to this thing, she noticed that Brigida was in the bakery, probably covering for her father.

Brigida Halverson was Alex's wife, and through the years, Katherine had also become friends with her. Katherine didn't have many friends, never mind many that weren't in the army. In her predicament, she supposed her input could be helpful.

"Hey, Brigida," Katherine said as she strode into the bakery with a smile.

"Katherine, dear!" Brigida said, turning up from the notes she had been working on at the counter, a radiant smile on her face. "What a pleasant surprise! It's been a while."

Brigida wore her long blond hair in two braids, framing her young face. A light dusting of freckles accentuated the pale skin of her cheeks.

"Yeah, they've been keeping me pretty busy at the castle," Katherine said apologetically as she rubbed the back of her neck with her hand. She was really not good at preserving friendships. Work always came first. Which was probably why she didn't have many outside of it.

"So I've heard. How's that been going?"

"It's been, uh, going pretty good," Katherine lowered her gaze, trying to keep a wistful smile from forming. "But how have you been? How's baby Henry?"

"He's wonderful," her deep green eyes shone at the thought. "He just started walking so he's keeping us on our toes. But I'm guessing you're not here to talk about my baby's milestones. What's up?" Brigida rose an eyebrow inquisitively.

Katherine rolled her eyes at herself for being so transparent. "I need some advice."

"I'm listening."

"What does one wear to a queen's birthday banquet?"

* * *

The sisters spent several hours going through what they supposed had served not only as their parents' secret hideout, but also contained their ancestors' history. They found books about magic and mythical folk, which they decided had likely served for research regarding Elsa's powers, as well as old artifacts and portraits.

It was a treasure trove that the sisters would need days to comb through. It was always bittersweet to think about their parents but getting an insight into the things they cherished and what they were looking into before they were lost to the ruthlessness of nature was an appreciated opportunity.

As they went through things, Anna looked around the small cozy room and thought with some cleaning up and decorating, it could make a nice getaway place for Elsa. A room she could go to when she needed to recharge, to lose herself in something other than work if she wished to.

But Elsa didn't want to keep it to herself, so finally the sisters agreed it could become _their_ secret hideout, where they could also go to reconnect with their past if they were so inclined.

As the hour of the ball approached, they left to clean up, and that's how they found themselves sometime later standing in the hallways of the second floor of the castle.

When Elsa met with Anna and Kristoff, she smiled at him. His outfit wasn't overly formal, but rather casual. He was wearing a light blue shirt and his hair was slicked back.

"You clean up nice, Kristoff," she commented, appreciating the effort. She knew that wasn't his style.

"Only for truly special occasions. And with a lot of help," he said, sharing a playful look with Anna.

"Doesn't he look great?" Anna said lovingly, as she leaned into his side under Elsa's fond gaze.

While the couple shared a moment, Elsa's attention was taken by a figure that was approaching from behind them.

It was Katherine, some part of her brain registered as she took in the sight.

She was wearing a red velvet long-sleeved gown. It had a V-neck that showcased the silver necklace that hung on her chest. Elsa also caught flashes of the silver heels Katherine was wearing as the dress moved in her walk towards the group.

Some light makeup accentuated her already striking features, and small diamond earrings glinted in the light of the hallway. The fire in her deep auburn hair Elsa had come to expect complimented the formal attire perfectly, and it made her stomach flutter.

"Wow," is all she could say as she felt her heart speed up.

Elsa couldn't help but appreciate the look the dress gave to her faithful companion. She had often wondered what her silhouette looked like beneath her cumbersome uniform. She knew that the soldier was slender, but her usual attire definitely didn't do her form justice. Not as well as the gown highlighted the curves of her torso before the fabric of the skirt cascaded over her lower body.

Katherine noticed Elsa's attention and felt heat color her cheeks. She was already self-conscious, and the fact that her crush was looking at her like that didn't help the situation.

Katherine fingered the infinity heart necklace she had decided on wearing tonight and averted her gaze, as it had become a habit for her, apparently. But not before she had a chance to do her own scrutinizing.

Elsa was also showing off a new ensemble. Katherine wondered if she had created it for the occasion. It was a midnight blue off-the-shoulder sleeved gown with a white fur collar. Diamond-shaped crystals were scattered across the dress and the cape that completed the outfit. As if she didn't sparkle enough as she was.

"You look amazing!" Anna exclaimed as she turned to see Katherine.

"Thanks, I'm trying… something," Katherine shrugged.

Elsa didn't know what it was exactly that she was trying but it was _definitely_ working.

Before she could comment any further, however, Kai joined them.

"Your Majesty, all the guests are here."

Being snapped back into reality, Elsa nodded and followed the advisor towards the Entrance Hall, where they would be meeting everyone for the banquet.

But as she did, she couldn't shake the vision in red that was just a few steps behind her. She had a feeling that image would haunt her for some time, like the impression the sun left in her eyes when she looked at it for just a little too long. It was actually accompanied by a similar feeling of warmth, too.

* * *

After dinner, the ball to celebrate the queen was in full swing. Fancy guests from Arendelle and various neighboring kingdoms filled the lavishly decorated room. Elsa watched with a smile, standing near her throne. She observed the crowd for a while, and soon found her sister dancing with Kristoff to the upbeat music the band played. Anna seemed to be having the time of her life, laughing wholeheartedly. And Kristoff mirrored her smile, as he looked at Anna adoringly.

The song soon ended, and the musicians started playing a waltz. The slower tempo had couples holding onto each other more closely, more tenderly, and Elsa felt something shift inside of her as she took the scene in. All the men and women paired up, joyful looks on their faces. And there she stood. Alone.

She had assisted to enough events and rejected enough suitors for the eligible nobles to stop trying to win her over. Anyway, she was never the least bit interested in any of them, in any of it.

She had read about love. Plenty. It always seemed to be magical, exciting, a lightning bolt you couldn't escape from. And she was starting to wonder if she would ever know it. If it weren't for the fact that she saw it in the way Kristoff and Anna looked at each other at this very moment, she would even wonder if it existed at all outside of fiction.

What was this sudden drop in her morale? She had been having a great day until now, filled with great moments shared with her family. She had been content.

She was starting to understand feelings were fleeting, as fickle as the weather in a long and hard winter could be. And her default _was_ rather somber. But this was sudden, even for her capricious mood.

Elsa sighed and decided she needed some fresh air before her suddenly morose state of mind had snow falling into the ballroom.

She walked through of the exterior exit of the Great Hall past a gazebo that in the summer would be decorated with all sorts of flowers, but in the solemn quiet of winter was left bare.

It was a clear but chilly night. The sky was awake, as Anna used to say when they were younger. The northern lights danced above her in green and yellow dresses, as if they were celebrating her birthday with her.

Reaching a bench in the middle of the dormant garden that lay behind the castle, she sat down to admire the show nature was giving. It wasn't long before she heard the snow crunching under somebody's feet behind her. Elsa guessed it was her shadow.

"You should go back inside. Enjoy the party," the queen said, not looking back.

Katherine made her way closer to stand beside Elsa's seat. "Who says I'm not enjoying myself right here?"

The queen turned her head to look at Katherine skeptically. "Right."

Katherine saw sadness in those big bright blue eyes, despite the little smile that played around Elsa's lips. "Is something wrong?"

Elsa shrugged, facing downward now. The playful smile completely leaving her features.

"You seemed lonely up there," Katherine allowed herself to comment. It twisted her gut to see Elsa so forlorn.

"I'm used to it."

It came out quickly, meant as a way to shrug off the obvious worry in the soldier's voice, but the implications of that statement hit her hard. It was true she was used to being alone. She had been for over twelve years. She had difficulty connecting even with her sister, the most important person in her life. She had a hard time being around people. And that was why it just was so much easier to be alone, to keep everyone out. However, her heart clearly started to long for more.

Tonight, there was a different kind of loneliness, of longing, that settled over her. In her years locked away, she had come to accept that she would never get close to anyone ever again. Fear had even made the dream of ever reconnecting with her sister an impossibility. Getting close to anyone was almost unfathomable.

Therefore, falling in love was just too dangerous to dare to imagine. It had been as far away from her mind as whatever hid behind the bright full moon the light of which bounced off the fresh snow, bathing the entire kingdom in a soft white glow.

These last few months, as her walls slowly fell and her relationship with Anna became a reality, her mind was beginning to dare to wander to that dangerous place. She started to dare to believe that she could manage it. Maybe even in a way that didn't hurt anybody. That part of herself had lived in darkness for so long, her heart was just beginning to adjust to the light.

She now craved something she never knew she would ever have the right to want.

But what to do about it? Was she ready to let someone that far in?

Katherine's heart broke at the truth of Elsa's statement. Now she was determined to put a smile back on her face, to show her she didn't have to be alone anymore.

"You weren't dancing like everyone else."

"I don't dance." Elsa shook her head lightly, trying to make the swirling, scary, rousing thoughts fall into place, before she looked back up at Katherine.

"What do you mean you don't dance?" Katherine exclaimed in mock-disbelief. "Isn't that part of queen training or something?"

That managed to make Elsa huff out a laugh. "Guess I skipped that lesson."

"What a waste really. Such a beautiful woman like you that doesn't dance."

It wasn't the first time Elsa had heard that line, but the cheeky look Katherine was throwing her made her roll her eyes with a smile.

"They tried to teach me a few times. I could never get it right. Besides, I don't see the interest." She had been afraid to touch people for so long.

"Ah, so you had a bad teacher. That explains it. I bet I can make you change your mind," Katherine extended her hand in ceremony to Elsa, who looked at it for a moment with uncertainty.

When Elsa's eyes drifted upwards to see the soldier, she saw a spark of purpose in her eyes, and a nervous excitement took over her. She had avoided touching people for years. She still often feared that contact. But she found herself craving Katherine's touch. With a smile, she finally agreed and took the soldier's strong hand. "You know how to dance?"

"Don't look so surprised!" Katherine laughed as she pulled Elsa onto the gazebo closer to the castle, from where they could hear the music coming from the Great Hall.

Katherine had learned a couple of years ago, thanks to Alexander. Some months after they had started training, once they were good friends, he had wanted to invite Brigida to a dance. He had wanted everything to be perfect to win her over, so he had needed Katherine's help to freshen up his dance moves.

"Do as I do," Katherine stared intently at Elsa's features, looking for any sign of discomfort as she first placed the queen's hand on her left hand and put her right hand on Elsa's waist. They were about the same height, so they fit together well.

Elsa took the time to acclimatize to the touch slowly. It felt new and exciting, and wasn't at all unpleasant.

Tentatively, Elsa placed her free hand on Katherine's shoulder, and remarked how solid and warm she was beneath the soft fabric. And how much more beautiful she was up close.

"Now," the soldier broke the silence, making Elsa focus on her eyes. "We'll start slow. Follow my feet."

They both looked downward as Elsa tried to get the pattern of the movement.

"You're doing great," Katherine smiled as the queen started to get the hang of it.

"I guess I have a good teacher," Elsa didn't even look up, still counting on Katherine's feet to know what to do.

"Perhaps. But you know what?" Katherine looked up and was disappointed not to find Elsa's blue eyes looking back at her.

"What?" Elsa said, her gaze still glued to their feet.

"When you're doing this dance, it's very important to look into your partner's eyes."

"How am I supposed to do that while I'm trying to follow your feet?" Elsa laughed softly.

With a serious but entrancing gaze, Katherine put her hand on Elsa's cheek and gently turned Elsa's face towards her own. "Come closer. There. Feel my movement. Feel the music."

Elsa's smile faded and did as she was told all while getting lost in the soldier's eyes, drawn to the heat radiating from Katherine's body.

They started moving together slowly, but soon, they twirled around the gazebo in a cloud of blue and red, following the music, feeling each other close. Closer than what formal dancing etiquette permitted. And neither of them seemed to mind one bit.

Both women were lost in their own heads, wondering what the other one was thinking. As it happened, both were on the same page. As confused as to what they were feeling as the other but loving the sensation that it brought to every inch of their bodies.

Katherine felt the pendant hanging on her chest, the silver infinity heart, and was reminded that nothing lasted forever.

She was certain now of how she would love for _this_ to last an eternity.

Carried by the moment they were sharing, Katherine saw herself telling Elsa how she felt. Not only that, but she also saw her reciprocating the feeling. For the first time, her hope overpowered the fear. For the first time, she allowed herself to believe that this — whatever it might be — was possible.

How could something that felt so _right_ not work out?

"Elsa?" She asked, her voice small, almost foreign in her ears, the mix of fear and courage accompanying the words, overwhelming her throat.

Elsa broke out into a smile at hearing the soldier calling her by her name. Not _Your Majesty_ or _Queen Elsa,_ just _Elsa._ She would have never thought that hearing her name, such a simple gesture, could bring so much joy into her heart.

Just as Elsa was about to answer, though, their blissful moment was cut short by the arrival of someone.

Kai cleared his throat as he approached them. Startled, they almost jumped apart.

As they separated, Elsa felt as if the breath was taken away from her lungs. She missed the warmth, the way they seemed to fit perfectly together, the tenderness she found in Katherine's touch. Her heart raced and her head spun.

Didn't people in love feel this exact same way in pretty much everything she had read?

"Your Majesty?" Kai spoke, his face blank. If he had an opinion about the scene he had just witnessed, it was unreadable.

"Yes?" Elsa turned to face him as she tried to take a hold of her racing thoughts.

"There's a guest who's looking for you."

Elsa nodded, but before she followed him inside, she turned back to Katherine. "You were going to say something?"

It had taken everything for Katherine to just utter her name to get her attention only a moment ago, and her fears had had enough time to drown her bravery back down to her feet. Also, she just realized how cold she was.

"It was nothing," she shrugged noncommittally, bringing her hands up to rub some heat onto her arms.

Elsa's eyes remained on her for a moment, curious.

"After you," Katherine gestured towards the Great Hall, making Elsa follow Kai.

The sound of Katherine's step behind her gave her a sense of security she was starting to get used to. She felt that no matter what happened, if Katherine was by her side — or behind her for that matter — everything would be alright. In a way that was beyond the soldier's job description.

As she thought of all the time they'd spent together, of today, of what they had shared just now, she realized the feelings of love she had read so much about _were_ in fact exactly what she felt when she was with Katherine.

Oh.

Was that even possible? Could it be that was she was starting to desire was right by her side?

Elsa had been wondering if she would ever be able to let anybody as far in into her life as it was needed to create a meaningful bond, maybe even one of love. What if she already had?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a longer chapter than usual, hope you enjoyed!
> 
> I hope you had a good holiday season despite of everything going on. As the New Year is upon us, I wanted to thank all of you for coming along on this ride with me. Writing this story brings me a lot of joy, and I'm forever grateful that you guys take the time to read and to share your thoughts on it.
> 
> Best wishes to all of you. See you on the next chapter!


	17. Chapter 17

Elsa didn't have much time to dwell on the question. When they got back into the Great Hall, a young man was waiting for them.

"Your Majesty," he bowed as he saw Elsa. "Happy birthday."

"Thank you," she nodded with a polite smile and looked at Kai, who was supposed to tell her who he was.

"This is—" the advisor started but was cut off by the newcomer.

"Nuh-uh," he shook his head playfully. "Remember me?"

Elsa was taken aback for a moment by the break in protocol, but as she examined his face, her features lit up in recognition. "Christian?"

"The one and only Prince Christian of the Northern Isles," he said with a flourish.

Elsa gasped out a laugh. "I can't believe it. It's been so long!"

"Too long indeed," he agreed warmly, though sadness flashed across his usually cheerful dark eyes.

Elsa tried to ignore the pang of guilt she felt upon remembering all the letters he had sent that she never answered. At some point, they had just stopped coming. "We have so much to catch up on."

"We do. But for now, could I have this dance?"

Elsa considered it for a moment. Another waltz was playing, and now she knew how to dance it. Maybe it would be a good time to show off what Katherine had just taught her.

Elsa smiled and took his extended hand.

Katherine was left standing near the door, following with her gaze as he took Elsa toward the dance floor. Noticing the queen, all the other couples gave way and let them dance in the center of the ballroom. It was the first time they had seen the queen dance, so they watched in pleasant surprise. Katherine, for one, was dumbstruck.

The prince could be described as tall, dark, and handsome, she supposed — were good looks mandatory for royalty? — and the dimples on his cheeks added a childish quality to his charm, as did the joyful spark that illuminated his features.

Katherine had never seen Elsa interact in such a natural way with… well, with anyone other than her family, really. Certainly not with any of the other suitors before him.

Elsa was aware everyone around them had stopped dancing and that they were watching them intently. For someone who was generally self-conscious, she found herself only worried about one particular person's opinion. The queen put a lot of effort into what she was doing, trying to remember what Katherine had taught her. She was hoping she could impress her.

And she did. Having made her way to the circle of people who were watching from the sidelines, Katherine's instincts wanted her to keep scanning the crowd, to stay on alert for any possible threat, even if she was out of uniform. But, for now, she only had eyes for Elsa.

She moved gracefully around the dance floor, her partner clearly knowing what he was doing. And Katherine couldn't but notice the way Elsa's dress embraced her slender body. The memory of her cool silhouette beneath her hands had butterflies taking over the soldier's stomach. And she envied the man that had the chance to feel it just now.

Katherine observed as the prince twirled Elsa around the dance floor expertly in his tailor cut navy blue royal suit. The chemistry between them was undeniable. Could he be the one deserving of her? The solider found her heart being squished by the prospect.

She couldn't help the urge to look down at her own gown. Who was she kidding? No matter how much makeup she put on, how many pretty dresses she donned or uncomfortable shoes she endured, she was nothing more than a solider. A servant. She needed to remember her place.

What did she have to offer Elsa anyway? Everything about her was perfect. She was a magical queen, for crying out loud. While Katherine was... only Katherine.

She allowed herself one last glance at the couple who was the center of attention before getting her mind back into her job, deciding it was easier to focus on looking for danger than dealing with her emotions.

Elsa deserved way more than whatever it was Katherine had to offer. Maybe something the prince could provide.

As the band finished the song, the couple stopped dancing. Everyone started clapping around them as the prince and queen curtsied at each other. Elsa bowed her head quickly, anxious to find Katherine's face in the crowd. She saw her near the throne. Her eyes landed on the soft, small smile on Katherine's face.

 _Yes! She liked what she saw!_ Elsa thought triumphantly.

 _He must be a great partner_ , is what Katherine thought upon noticing the queen's bright eyes looking at her.

Before Elsa could do anything else, Anna rushed toward her, excitement clear in her face. "Elsa, that was wonderful!"

"Thank you," Elsa shrugged, suddenly bashful. Before she became more flustered, she gestured toward her dance partner. "Christian, this is my sister, Anna. Anna, this is Prince Christian of the Northern Isles."

"Pleasure to meet you, Princess," he bowed before offering her a charming smile.

"The pleasure's all mine," Anna said, studying them both. She had never seen her sister dance. And until now, Elsa had turned down every single man that had tried to win her over. Anna wondered what was different about this prince.

"We met when we were little. When I used to go on diplomatic missions with Father. He had been very good company," Elsa smiled, fondly remembering that span of her life.

"Oh!" Anna exclaimed, understanding the familiarity there seemed to be between them. "Yes, little Prince Christian. I remember, yeah. Didn't you once tell me that you would marry him when you were older?"

Elsa was immediately mortified as Christian chuckled.

"Anna," she threw her a warning glance, lest she reveal other embarrassing facts about her eight-year-old self. "That was a long time ago."

And indeed, it had been. That was before her world was turned upside down. Much had changed since then.

With a look of fake-astonishment, Christian got his hand to his chest dramatically. "You should've said so before! Now you've lost all chance at this, I'm afraid," he said regretfully, gesturing to his body. "Unless you _really_ want to?" he asked, ending his performance with a wink.

Elsa shook her head, smiling at his theatrics. She knew he had been engaged to Princess Ingrid of Stanheim, Prince Stefan's sister, basically since they were born.

"I was eight. I had no idea what I was saying."

But she did. As a matter of fact, at the time, she had only said it to make Anna stop nagging her about her thoughts on a future husband.

Elsa had never felt any interest regarding that particular subject, but her little five-year old sister was obsessed with the idea of finding prince charming, and she felt like she was expected to want that too, so she just lied and named the only boy she got along with.

But now another name emerged. One that might even make her change her mind regarding love and relationships.

* * *

As the dance floor filled up with couples again, Katherine sighed, her mood significantly darker than it had been just a few minutes earlier.

What was she doing there again? According to Elsa, she should be _enjoying herself_. However was she supposed to do that in a room full of strangers she didn't have anything in common with?

All of the sudden, she missed the comfort of her uniform and the presence of her colleagues. Neither were as glamourous or extravagant, but they provided a sense of comfort that she found herself longing for. They were her safety. It was what she knew.

Her life had changed a lot in the past few weeks, and she had let herself be charmed by the exciting novelty of it all. But it wasn't until tonight that she had realized just how out of her depth she had gone, and how dangerous it could be to lose track of her metaphorical island like that. She could swim, of that she was sure. What she wasn't so certain of anymore was if she could make it out unscathed.

Feeling dejected, Katherine spotted some of her colleagues standing guard at one of the doors. She approached them, grabbing a flute of champagne from one of the waiters on her way.

She had turned some heads and made some jaws drop when she had initially entered the castle, but now they just shook their heads at her.

"We knew some day you would leave us for the rich and famous," Robert said, a look of pretend hurt covering his features.

She narrowed her eyes at him and leaned back on the wall at his side, taking a sip from her drink. Yeah, she wasn't so sure about that. "You're not getting rid of me that easily."

Katherine observed the dancing crowd as she got lost in her thoughts. She had more important things to focus on other than her nagging cohorts.

Her mind drifted back to how she _did_ miss her uniform, especially her boots. She had borrowed some heeled shoes from Brigida, and she had no idea how women endured them for more than an hour at a time. For starters, her balance was off, which would throw her if she ever needed to jump back into her guard role. It didn't help that her feet were already sore from the tight fit.

Katherine also missed the hilt of her sword on her hip. And _definitely_ not because she was imagining herself using it to threaten a certain prince to treat a certain queen right.

Before she settled on just leaving the party, she noticed a young man was weaving his way through the crowd towards her.

She straightened, lifting herself up from the wall, and walked away from the other guards, not wanting them to overhear whatever this was going to be. She took the opportunity to leave her empty glass to one of the waiters' trays.

"Good evening," the stranger said as he approached her, bowing his head curtly. "Miss Anderson, right? General Magnus's daughter."

"Yes. And you are…?" She threw a quizzical look at the newcomer.

He wore a fancy deep green tailored suit and had a full hair of slicked back brown hair. He was around her age, but she didn't recognize him.

"I'm Peter, Thomas Raynor's son. He's part of the queen's council."

That made sense. Nobles' children didn't usually go to school with the rest of them.

"I have heard a lot of good things about you, you know," he continued. "You're pretty popular around here."

"Am I?" she smirked. She wasn't exactly shocked by the statement, but she _was_ by the way he approached her. Was he interested in her?

"Mm-hmm," he nodded before he flashed her a charming smile. "I have to say, when I first heard about there being a female soldier, I was surprised. But I was even more surprised when I saw you a few days ago leaving a council meeting. I didn't expect you to be so beautiful. And dare I say, you look even more ravishing tonight."

Now she was sure he was trying to win her over, if failing miserably at it. Katherine had to stop herself from turning him down right there and then.

"Would you offer me this dance?"

She took a good look at him and wondered whatever could attract women to men. Not only this specimen in particular, but in general. A nagging thought surfaced in her mind. Wasn't she supposed to feel about them as she did about… one very specific woman she didn't dare utter the name of in this sentence at this precise moment, even in her mind?

It didn't have to mean more than a dance. And she had connected through it with Elsa. Maybe the same could happen with him?

Finally, she accepted, placing her hand in his. He grinned as he gently led her towards the dance floor.

He guided her around it with ease and confidence, with a firm grip and perfect mastery of the steps, yet she felt nothing. She stared into his eyes, looking for a spark, for anything that might signal a possible connection. He seemed nice enough, but again, she was unimpressed.

Katherine missed the chill of Elsa's touch and the calm of her gaze. She missed how vulnerable she could be in them. And how safe she felt.

It was way beyond any physical attraction. She missed her presence, her laughter, even her sadness, because it meant she felt safe enough to let herself be vulnerable in Katherine's presence too.

After the dance, she politely declined Peter's offer for a second dance and decided she was done with the party.

Katherine knew the only arms she needed to be in right now were as far away from her as ever.

* * *

Not long after, Anna and Elsa thanked their guests for coming and put an end to the party.

"So, how did you like your day?" Anna asked her sister as they left the ballroom.

Elsa's mind immediately flashed to her dancing below the northern lights with Katherine as one of the greatest highlights of it, and a coy smile lit up her face.

Then she thought back to every lovely detail Anna had thought of to make her birthday special. She knew this was important to her, and she had appreciated every little gesture. This was the way Anna showed her affection, and Elsa was grateful to have a chance to experience all the love she had to give.

"It was perfect. Thank you." Elsa took her sister into a warm embrace.

Anna beamed, happy that she was able to give her sister the birthday celebration she deserved.

"By the way," Elsa said as they walked arm in arm through the castle. "Christian had some business to attend to here and in the surrounding areas, so he will be staying for a few days. Just so you know."

"Alright."

"Have you seen Katherine?" Elsa asked her sister. She hadn't seen the guard since she had spotted her after the dance with Christian.

"Not for a while. She must have turned in early. She was up before me this morning."

"Hm," Elsa nodded in thought. She would have liked to thank her for the lovely moment they had shared.

Now she wondered if she would ever be lucky enough to have her that close again. It wasn't only about the physical proximity they had shared. It had been more than that. She wasn't quite ready to admit anything close to _love_ yet. But whatever it had been, she wanted more of it.


	18. Chapter 18

The next morning, Elsa emerged from her bedroom and walked toward the dining room. She was excited to see Katherine this morning. It was not uncommon for her, but she had never felt quite so agitated. As her emotions swung from anticipation to apprehension, she met Christian in a hallway.

"There you are!" He exclaimed, a happy grin on his face.

"Morning, Christian," she mirrored his smile.

"Good morning, Your Majesty," he said with a flourish.

Elsa shook her head. "I already told you. No—"

"No need for formalities. I know, I know, I'll stop."

"Did you sleep well?" She asked as she continued walking, expecting for him to follow her.

"I did, thank you. But, um," he said as he stepped in front of her, stopping her in her tracks.

She narrowed her eyes at him, wondering what he was doing in her way.

"I have a surprise for you," he said, a twinkle in his eye. "Come with me."

"Okay..." she said, unsure. She followed him anyway after asking a footman to inform her sister where she would be spending the morning.

As she walked into the library, plates of food were neatly arranged on a circle on the floor near the fire. It was similar to the way they would spend their meals together at Christian's castle. They had shared a lot of time at one of the parlors, where they would play games together and tell each other stories. Every once in a while, the grown-ups would let them eat there as they conducted their business.

It brought her back to that time when everything was simpler, when she was able to have a fun day with another kid without being afraid of hurting them.

They settled on pillows on the ground and started serving themselves from the food available, which befitted a queen's table, just in a less formal setting.

"So, you're getting married," Elsa found herself being the one to start the conversation as he filled up his plate. It was a rare occurrence, and it made her realize just how much she had missed him, missed the time when she didn't have a care in the world.

"Yeah. To Princess Ingrid. Her older brother is going to become king, so we're getting married to cement our alliance. We're very close-knit kingdoms."

Elsa nodded. "And do you like her?" She didn't dare ask about love. Marriage alliances rarely took into account anyone's feelings.

"It's weird. When you're told as a child that you're supposed to marry someone out of duty for your country, you don't really want to ask yourself those sorts of questions. But she's a good, kind person. We should be able to make it work."

"I hope you do," Elsa said whole-heartedly. She knew the sacrifices that were required of a ruler, so she sympathized with him. The interest of their people always had to come first.

"How about you?" He gazed up at her, intrigued.

"What, me?"

"Any arranged marriages in the cards?"

"Oh, no. Not for me."

He whistled in awe. "Really? Wow."

"I don't have anyone telling me what to do anymore," she shrugged, trying to keep the dark shadows of her grief away from her heart.

"Yeah, I heard. I'm sorry about that."

"Thank you," she said, shrugging it off.

"But there _is_ a council who could."

Elsa shook her head. "Thankfully, they don't. I don't know if I would be able to go through with something like that."

Christian considered that for a moment, the prospect of having a choice in the matter almost foreign to him.

It was easy for her to say that. She had never been expected to relinquish that freedom. She would always have a choice. Unlike Christian, she had never been conditioned to believe that marriage was just another way to guard the interests of the kingdom.

"You must have many a young prince after you anyway."

"Something like that."

"Any serious candidates?" he bumped her shoulder with his playfully and let out a laugh.

It was extremely uncommon for her to have this sort of physical contact with anyone, or the type of conversation she was having with him. But there was something about Christian that let her put her usual defense mechanisms on hold.

The close relationship that they had shared long enough ago gave her the safety of trust while also providing a certain distance she was comfortable with.

"Not really," she said, her features becoming serious.

"But you _are_ planning to marry soon," he emphasized. People usually married young, especially royalty. It was a wonder no one had managed to snag her up yet. By her age, she should at least be engaged to someone.

Elsa let out a deep breath, conflicted. She had never even considered the possibility of any sort of romantic relationship with anyone until very recently. And since, there was always only one person who popped up. That one person with whom she wasn't sure any of that was possible.

Katherine had created a turmoil in her feelings when she had first marched — sword in hand and fire in her eyes — confidently into her life. As if she had opened something, way too wide to contain and too raw to ignore, inside of her. A world of possibilities that seemed as forbidden as they seemed enticing.

Could it ever be more than a fantasy?

"I don't know," is what she finally said. Her gaze had been so lost far away in front of her, that she hadn't realized he had spent the whole time studying her intently.

"There's something you're not telling me."

Immediately defensive, she glanced his way and noticed how he was staring at her. "What? No."

"Yes, there is," he gave her a gentle smile. "Who is it?"

"Who's what?" She tried playing innocent, without much success.

"I know that look. You're thinking of someone. Let me guess. It's probably some sort of forbidden love."

Her shoulders slumped in surrender. "Something like that. I don't even know what it is."

Christian allowed the silence to hang between them, hoping she could feel safe enough to talk more about it. When she didn't, he finally said, "Well, whatever or whoever it is clearly means a lot to you."

That was the only thing she was sure of in this whole situation. But she found herself unable to actually say it, so she just nodded.

"Then I hope you can figure it out. You have a chance to be with whoever you want. It would be a shame to waste it."

Elsa looked at Christian carefully, looking for any sign of reproach in his face. For a person who didn't have this sort of opportunity, it would be easy to be resentful of someone who did and didn't take it. But she didn't find any.

"You have a point."

"Maybe. But who am I to tell a queen what to do?" He winked with a smile, which made her own expression soften.

"Hmm," she nodded in agreement.

* * *

Katherine walked into the dining room expecting to meet Elsa there for breakfast. Over the last few weeks, that had been the official start of her workday. But this morning, she only found Kristoff and Anna.

"Good morning," she said curtly, her question clear in her eyes.

"Morning," the couple replied in unison, and Anna continued. "Prince Christian asked for his and Elsa's breakfast to be taken to the library. And Elsa insisted that you take the time to enjoy yours before you join her."

Katherine nodded, approaching the table. Prince Christian seemed to be settling in quite well, didn't he?

She finished her meal in record time and was quickly making her way to the library. It wasn't until she approached the room and heard Elsa's hearty laugh that Katherine thought of the possibility that the queen didn't want her around.

The soldier considerably slowed down her pace, realizing how much she had been rushing to get there. She had managed to convince herself that what had driven her this morning was her sense of duty. However, as her heart fell, she accepted it was more her longing to see Elsa, to take the place she had gotten so comfortable at by her side.

As she arrived at the library, she allowed herself a peek inside the room. Elsa looked particularly radiant. Unadulterated joy lit her features. She was sitting on the ground in front of the fireplace, facing Prince Christian and they were surrounded by several plates of food. From what she could gather, they were reminiscing about the fun they had had when they were little.

Maybe Elsa wouldn't be needing Katherine by her side for much longer.

The soldier had been planning to check in quickly on them before assuming her post outside of the room, as she was used to doing. But Katherine was so entranced, deep in her thoughts, that she remained there, leaning against the door frame, unseen by the couple.

She found herself being envious of the prince. She wanted to be in his place. To be the one to put that smile on her face. And she hated herself for it. She should just be glad to see her so happy. And she was. But the difficulty she was now having pulling air into her lungs was caused by the possibility of losing her.

How did she become so attached? This had been more than a job for quite some time already, but the affection she felt for her was downright vertiginous.

No. More than that. Despite her better judgement, she was free-falling.

When she heard someone nearing the library, Katherine straightened and moved to the side of the door, where she would keep watch over the couple.

Would that be her job now? The mere thought had a chill running down her spine.

Anna soon arrived, peaking into the library as Katherine had been doing a moment earlier.

"They look great together, don't they?" The soldier turned to look at the princess. She couldn't help the comment. It was as if she had something to prove.

Anna, taken aback, moved her gaze from Elsa and Christian to Katherine and back to the couple. "I guess," she shrugged, the implications unclear for her. She knew they were good friends. Anything beyond that was far from her mind.

Katherine watched the younger woman disappear into the library. Of course Anna approved of the pairing. But what made the pang in her chest even more painful was the fact that she herself agreed. How could she be against something that seemed to make Elsa so happy?

* * *

Moments later, Anna, Elsa and Christian emerged from the room, making Katherine slip on her neutral mask, becoming nothing other than professional.

"Katherine," Elsa said, stopping right outside the door to face the soldier as Anna and Christian continued down the hall chatting agreeably. "Good morning."

"Good morning, Your Majesty," Katherine nodded solemnly.

Elsa observed her a moment, and she wondered if she was imagining the frost she felt emanating from Katherine, or if it was just the contrast between the connection they had shared under the northern lights the night before and the everyday greeting. She certainly missed the insouciance in being called by her first name.

"We are going to show Christian around the castle, so you can take some time for yourself, if you'd like."

Katherine nodded slowly, her heart sinking deeper. She really wouldn't need her around much longer now that she had a seemingly caring man by her side, would she?

She felt lousy. In less than twenty-four hours, she had gone from the greatest high, bringing her close to confessing her feelings for Elsa, making her believe this was possible, to the lowest of lows. Like Icarus, she had flown too close to the sun, and now she was drowning in her own personal ocean of disappointment.

God, when had she become so dramatic?

But the mask held strong as she gave her a tight-lipped smile. "Alright. Call if you need me."

Elsa's eyes narrowed slightly and remained on Katherine's for a second, searching for something. "I will see you later," she said before following her sister and Christian.

"See you…" Katherine said under her breath once Elsa was out of earshot.

Sighing, the soldier ran her hands over her face. What was she supposed to do now? Her mind automatically went to training. It was her escape of choice. But the weather outside was dreadful. She threw a sideways glance into the library and supposed that would have to do. It had been ages since she had picked up a book.

She entered the room and upon seeing the floor to ceiling bookshelves that towered above her, covering almost the entirety of the walls, she felt a vertiginous feeling wash over her. The possibilities seemed almost endless.

After her mother died, when Katherine wasn't training or helping out around the house, she liked to go to the library in the village, where there had probably been half as many books in the entire building as there were in this room. It had afforded her an escape into less painful worlds.

She could get lost in fairytales where heroes always won. She could find comfort in the words of authors who seemed to understand her grief better than she understood it herself. She could find refuge in the stories she had read so many times that she knew them inside and out.

Katherine wasn't sure if she would be able to find any of that today, though. Her heart knew that these days, it wasn't a book she wanted to get lost in, find comfort in, or get to know inside and out.

She shook her head and reminded herself she was there to try to find a distraction, hoping to keep exactly those kind of thoughts at bay.

She should probably avoid romance books, in that case.

Finally, Katherine decided to go with her gut. She was a woman of instinct, so she supposed she would just peruse the shelves until a book got her attention, called for her. She started to her right, glancing at all the book spines of different color, width, and height.

She walked slowly, her gaze traveling up and down, trying to cover the entire surface of books. As the first shelf ended, she was looking at the wall, and since her eyes continued the same rhythm, they swept over the light green wallpaper until she was gazing straight into Elsa's eyes. Or, more precisely, Elsa's portrait's eyes.

Powerless to stop her body from reacting, Katherine's heartbeat sped up as a swarm of butterflies took over her stomach.

Elsa looked radiant. Even in such an austere image, she still took her breath away.

There was a severe determination in the eyes of the ruler that stared back at her. Katherine's attention was caught by the little dip in her eyebrows. She felt the urge to run her fingertips over it, wondering what tormented the queen so much, and if she could do anything to lift the burden.

How could Elsa take so much space in her head and heart?

The soldier was supposed to remain level-headed and detached to do her job properly. That hadn't been the case for some time. But it also hadn't really been a problem until now, where it was almost painful how much she longed for her company, for the sound of her voice, for the brilliance of her smile…

Her eyes roamed over the image attentively, as if she hadn't already committed every line, every crevice, every detail, to memory.

The love she felt for her, that wrapped around her gut, danced around her heart, and lit up her eyes was so strong, she wondered if there would ever be a time where it would be less biting, where she could look at her and not wonder what her lips tasted like, what her embrace felt like, what waking up to that gorgeous smile was like.

She considered feelings fleeting, that they could dissipate over time, but she found it difficult to believe these feelings would ever go away. And the prospect terrified her. What the hell was she supposed to do with them now?


	19. Chapter 19

Given that the festivities for the queen's birthday were now over, the castle staff busied themselves putting up decorations for the holidays. On this December 23rd, it was the first time in years that they dusted off the ornaments, so there was a special frenzy that surrounded the occasion. In a few short hours, several trees were set up and decorated in different rooms and colorful wreaths and garlands lined the walls of the corridors.

Elsa walked around the castle before breakfast to watch the staff mill about bringing Christmas into their home, and the holiday spirit quickly got to her. As she walked, she added some icy details to the decorations in a flurry of sparkling snowflakes. She was joined by Katherine on her way to the dining room.

"Good morning, Your Majesty," she bowed her head.

"Good morning, Katherine," Elsa nodded, as always, happy to see her shadow again. However, something still seemed to be off about her.

She threw her a sideways glance and quickly realized her guard's usual cheerful attitude was replaced by the same cold and distant expression she had seen in her features the previous day. Before she could ask her about it, they arrived at their destination.

"Your Majesty," Katherine pulled out the chair at the end of the table for Elsa to sit. Other than her place setting, three others were set up on the big rectangular table. Two were set up to Elsa's right, usually occupied by Anna and Kristoff, and one to her left, usually Katherine's place.

Elsa observed the soldier with a frown as she moved to stand at attention behind her, just as she had done when she had started working with her.

"Won't you have breakfast with us this morning?"

"I assumed Prince Christian would be joining you for breakfast, Your Majesty," Katherine said stiffly.

"What? No, I think he had some business to attend to this morning. Besides, this is your place, Katherine. It always will be."

The soldier nodded, taking her place at the table, but her expression was still somber. A part of her wanted to believe her, so badly. But she was also convinced that when Elsa found a man who would be deserving of her, she would be not much more than a servant, maybe an old distraction, in the monarch's mind.

After all, she was The Queen. People of her stature could maybe entertain themselves for a while with commoners like herself. But it never lasted for long, especially not when there were richer, prettier, more interesting people available. And that was okay. That was the way it had always been and always would be. But Katherine was not willing to put her heart on the line. The disappointment would be too great. It already was.

Before Elsa could wonder further about Katherine's mood this morning, Anna rushed in excitedly.

"Elsa! Did you see what they did with the castle? It's amazing! I had forgotten how exciting this time of year could be," she exclaimed sitting down, happiness exuding from her every pore.

Elsa couldn't but smile.

"I did, it's really wonderful. I had forgotten too. Is Kristoff not joining us?" She wondered, noticing his absence.

"No, he left early to go see his family. Apparently, it's the birthday of one of his aunts. I had no idea trolls celebrated birthdays too."

As the girls started being served, Anna asked her sister, "So, what are we going to do to celebrate our first Christmas in so long?"

Elsa tried to remember back to what was done before the gates were closed, but she was stumped.

"I— I'm not sure. We have to ring the Yule Bell to signal the start of the holidays. But after that… I don't know."

"We could invite everyone in for a big feast and celebration," Anna offered.

"I like that. Yes, we could—"

"I…" Katherine dared to interrupt. "Sorry, if I may?"

"Yes, of course," Elsa encouraged her.

"I'm not sure people will be coming in. Usually, after the announcement of the beginning of the holidays, everyone goes home to celebrate their own traditions."

During the time the castle gates were closed, the King and Queen did very few public appearances, but the ringing of the Yule Bell was one of them. It was done in the Arendelle Plaza, and while it wasn't as grand as when the ceremony had been done at the castle courtyard, it was a very special and prized occasion by all.

"Their own traditions," Anna mulled it over. "Elsa, do we have any family traditions?"

Elsa became forlorn as she tried to remember.

"I… don't recall."

Everything that came to mind now was the period after the accident. When she was responsible for making the world stop turning in the castle. For freezing her family in time for so long.

She looked down at her half-eaten plate and as the memories flooded her mind, her appetite vanished. She closed her eyes and the familiar feeling of guilt settled deep in her gut.

"I'm sorry Anna," she said, pushing her plate away before she stood up. "It's my fault we don't have any family traditions."

Unable to look at her sister, Elsa left the room. As she did, Katherine stood too, unsure of whether she should follow her or not.

"Elsa, we still have some time, we don't—" Anna cut herself off when she realized Elsa was not stopping and had left the room. Now also on her feet, Anna sighed, hating to see her sister still struggle under the weight of choices that were made out of fear so many years ago. Choices that she had had little power over.

"She'll come around," Katherine offered.

"I know. I'll give her some time. I'm going to go see if I can find any clues somewhere as to what we used to do before."

Katherine nodded, watching the princess leave the room as Olaf walked in.

"Hi, Olaf," Anna said, barely glancing at him on her way out.

"Hey." Noticing Anna's troubled expression, he followed her with his eyes as he walked towards Katherine, his head even turning around when his field of vision didn't let him follow her with his gaze anymore.

When she was finally out of sight, he put his head on the right way to face the soldier.

"Why did Anna look so sad? Isn't she excited for the holidays? I would even say it's better than summer! Did you see all the colorful decorations? And all the extra lights! And the castle just…" he paused to close his eyes as he took in a deep breath, "Smells amazing!"

That managed to bring a small smile to Katherine's face.

"It does look great. But the queen and the princess can't remember their holiday family traditions. And that made them sad."

"They don't have traditions? That's terrible! How are they going to celebrate the holidays?"

"I don't know. I'm sure they'll figure something out."

"I'll help them find some, then," the little snowman said, gleeful determination lighting his features. "Thank you, Kat!" he said, rushing outside of the room.

Katherine shook her head in amusement. There was really no one like Olaf to lift her spirits. He just seemed to run on hope and optimism.

Elsa probably needed some of that right now, actually. And the dear prince didn't seem to be around. Shouldn't he be the one to attempt to cheer her up?

She tried to brush those thoughts aside as she left the dining room. In any case, it was her job to find her and make sure she was alright. Now, where could Elsa have escaped to?

* * *

Katherine decided the queen's study was as good a place to start as any, so she started that way. But, after only one turn, she realized finding Elsa wouldn't be as hard as she had thought it would be. A trail of thin light blue ice covered the purple carpeting. She followed it down another corridor, where it helpfully led her to Elsa's hideout.

Indeed, when Elsa had realized she was leaving ice behind, after rolling her eyes at herself, she decided to duck into a room, thinking that would be the best way to be left alone.

Predictably enough, after a few minutes, someone was knocking on the door.

"Elsa. I know you're in there."

She recognized Katherine's voice.

"I know," she said, mostly annoyed at herself and her telltale magic. "I don't care."

Katherine debated between leaving her be and following what her heart dictated. The issue was quickly resolved.

"Come on, Your Majesty. You don't need to deal with this alone anymore, remember?"

Elsa sighed, her resolve wavering. Why was she hiding, again?

"Anna understands what happened. I don't think she blames you for anything."

"It's not just that. Just now, I screwed up. I keep running away when I get uncomfortable."

"You could just apologize to her? You're still figuring things out. It's okay."

"It seems like all I do is apologize. Why can't I do something right from the start for once?"

Katherine's heart softened at that.

"Elsa, you've come a long way already. Never forget that. You grew up learning to avoid feeling any emotion for fear it might make you hurt someone. That's not something that goes away easily. Now, I see you're starting to let yourself feel the good emotions. The joy and love are palpable. It's the bad ones that still bring you back to that dark place. But believe me, that's something we all struggle with."

The soldier listened for something, anything. Upon hearing nothing, she continued.

"And do you know what helps? Having people to count on. People who remind us that there's still good around us when we lose sight of it. Isn't that precisely what the holidays are all about?"

As she only received silence in response again, Katherine kicked herself mentally. What was she even doing allowing herself this intrusion? Maybe she should go get Prince Christian. Perhaps he could console her better.

Before she decided to, though, Elsa opened the door, still looking tormented. But there seemed to be hope mixed in with the shadows now.

"How is it that you always know exactly what to say to make me feel better?"

"Because I know how that's like," she said. _And I know you_ , she added in her mind.

Elsa nodded and stared at the floor for a moment, thinking that she should follow Katherine's advice.

"Thank you," she said softly, facing the soldier and giving her a small smile.

 _Don_ _'t look at me like that!_ Katherine's heart cried out as she felt her resolve for distancing herself from her waver. Elsa was definitely not making it easy for her.

Katherine cleared her throat and shook her head, making sure to look away.

"Not a problem."

"Any idea where Anna could have gone to?"

"I don't, sorry. Unfortunately, she might be a bit more difficult to find than you were," Katherine couldn't help to comment with a smirk.

"Oh hush," Elsa swatted her hand dismissively, but her eyes were brighter now. "Now come on and help me look for my sister."

* * *

Wondering around the castle looking for Anna, they asked some staff members if they had seen her, until one of them told the women he had last seen Anna in the kitchen.

Soon, they were there. They found Anna chatting with the cooks who were working around the kitchen, whereas it be cutting vegetables, kneading dough, washing dishes, or attending to the several pots cooking on the stove. The room was a swarm of activity, and Anna sat at the table looking down, holding on tightly to the warmth of a hot chocolate cup.

"Anna," Elsa said, making everyone notice their arrival.

"Hey," Anna turned to face her, her eyes lighting up. "Want some hot chocolate?"

Elsa smiled and nodded.

Not long after, the sisters sat together on a sofa at the library, their warm drinks in hand, with Katherine standing guard outside of the room.

"I'm sorry about walking out earlier. I know we need to talk about things like this," Elsa started.

"You don't have to apologize. I know sometimes you have to deal with this kind of stuff before you can share," Anna said, throwing her sister a reassuring look.

"I appreciate that," Elsa said, feeling relieved. There went one thing she could feel less guilty about. "I guess it's still hard, thinking back to that time."

"I know how that's like," Anna shrugged. Elsa wasn't the one carrying guilt from that period of their lives. "But that's in the past now."

Elsa nodded. It was important to remember that.

"But it _would_ be nice to have some good traditions to carry into the future…"

"Yeah, that's what I was asking the staff. But even those who have been working here the longest weren't able to give me much information. Mother and Father let them go visit their families during the holidays, so they had no idea what we did here," Anna said.

"That's a bummer. But you know what?" Elsa shifted in her seat to scoot closer to Anna, taking her in a side hug. "We don't even need any of that. Someone made me realize it's not the tradition that's important. It's what the holidays mean to you that matters."

"And what do the holidays mean to you?" Anna looked up at her sister, burrowing into her embrace.

"Being with you, Olaf, Kristoff, Sven…" _Katherine_ , she finished in her head. "Being with the people I love. That's the only thing I need."

Anna smiled, her heart filling with warmth at hearing the affecting in her sister's voice.

"Then that's all I need too."

Elsa felt herself relax in the embrace. It was these moments that reminded her just how powerful love was. She could forget about every fear, every doubt that hung over her head every day like a sword, threatening to bring her down at every turn. She only had to be in the moment, feel her sister close, to believe that everything would be okay. That no matter what she did, Anna would always be there for her.

* * *

Later that day, Kristoff returned from his trip, so Anna went to catch up with him. Elsa took the opportunity to go into her study to get some work done.

A couple of hours after, a footman informed her that General Magnus had arrived.

Her face lit up as she asked the young man to have the general wait for her in the Great Hall. Her excitement only grew as she thought of how Katherine might react, so she took a moment to compose herself before stepping out into the corridor.

"Follow me," is all she said to Katherine before making her way to where Magnus would be waiting for them, not wanting to reveal anything.

The soldier did so quietly, intrigued.

Soon, they were standing at the doors of the Great Hall.

Elsa allowed herself a little smile as she spoke. "Katherine, you have been working with me for only a little over a month, but you have already become a very appreciated member of the staff." _Of my family_ , Elsa added in her mind.

"I—" Ever the humble soldier, Katherine was about to protest, to say that she was just doing her job. And that she loved doing it. It wasn't only the job that she loved, but she desperately needed for that part of herself not to be there anymore.

"I'm not done yet," Elsa, unsure of how long she could hold on, cut her off.

"Sorry," Katherine physically backtracked, lowering her gaze for a moment. Elsa was right. She was just a servant. She shouldn't be so comfortable daring to cut the queen off like that. It was just so natural. But it wasn't the way things worked.

"That's why I felt it would be nice, with the approaching of the holidays, to give you a surprise."

Katherine faced Elsa again, taken aback for the second time in as many minutes. Her instinct made her want to protest again, but her training and lack of understanding of where this was going reined her in. When she met Elsa's gaze, the way the queen's eyes sparkled reminded her of the magical flurry that accompanied her ice powers.

Before the soldier could hypothesize further about what this was all about, Elsa opened the doors and asked Katherine to follow her inside.

A part of Katherine's brain was aware that letting her go into a room first was completely against her training. But the rest of it was decoding the fact that the man standing in the middle of the ballroom was Magnus.

All protocol and regulations officially thrown out the window, Katherine rushed toward him and was quickly surrounded by his arms in a tight embrace.

"Father!"

Elsa had turned around as soon as they had walked in to see Katherine's reaction. The way that her eyes had lit up with such a childish glint made Elsa's heart melt, and she watched the reunion with a sweet smile that threatened to split her face.

It almost made her chest ache how much joy it brought Elsa to be able to put that happiness in Katherine's features.

Magnus was a formidable man, and Katherine looked like a child in his arms. He had short dark hair and a neatly trimmed goatee. He wore a red military jacket, with dozens of medals and other signs of his accomplishments pinned to it.

"I've missed you, kid," a visibly also very happy Magnus said.

They held each other tightly for a while, both happy to be able to do so once again. They were painfully aware of how easily that could be taken away from them, especially in their line of work.

When they finally broke apart, Katherine took a step back and protocol quickly came back to the front of her mind.

"Sorry," she said, doing a military salute before she continued. "General, welcome back."

"Nonsense," Magnus shook his head. "I'm not your general today," he gave her a soft smile and she quickly relaxed.

Katherine grinned at her dad, overjoyed by seeing him again, but she suddenly remembered that they weren't alone in the room. She turned to where Elsa was standing and approached her.

"Your Majesty, did you—"

"I needed him regarding our current situation. But I figured we could spare him for a couple of days during the holidays," Elsa gazed intently into Katherine's eyes, giddiness clear in her features. "After all, he has earned it," she nodded to Magnus. Her eyes were still bright, and she gave him a look of absolute respect.

He gave a humble bow of his head in response and, intrigued, he studied the exchange between the young women.

"That's very generous of you. Thank you," Katherine held Elsa's gaze and surprised herself by thinking of the possibility that Elsa might have done this for her, to make her happy. Why else stage a surprise? Why else did she have that stupidly adorable grin on her face?

"Merry Christmas, Katherine," is all Elsa said with a coy smile, tucking a strand of icy blond hair behind her ear.

Katherine chuckled softly and shook her head slightly at her train of thought. The only thing she wanted now was to wrap Elsa in her arms. But with her father in the room, she was able to restrain herself. "Thank you. You too, Your Majesty."

"Now, go enjoy your father, soldier. You're off duty for the next few days. And that's an order from your Commander. General," Elsa smiled at Magnus. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, Queen Elsa."

* * *

The next morning, Elsa, Katherine, Anna, Kristoff and Magnus sat around the dining table. As the staff placed plates in front of them, the general commented, "Thank you for the invitation. It's an honor to share the queen's table."

"Thank you, General. Your service is invaluable to us all. Especially now," Elsa replied.

Pleasantries exchanged, they all dug into their breakfast.

"So how did you see the troops at the border, General? How do you think we're standing?" Elsa wondered.

They all looked at Magnus with great interest as he recounted how everyone was doing their jobs, and that so far, despite a rise in activity brought by the approaching of the Hodgevike army, the Arendellian soldiers at the borders were still holding strong thanks to the resources that had been sent by the kingdom.

"Good. I'm glad. And how are you feeling, General, about this whole thing?" Elsa asked him. She knew he had seen his fair share of armed conflicts, and was ready to learn from his expertise.

"I have faith in our army and its capability to withstand any attack. What concerns me is King Oddvar's unpredictability. He won't play by the rules, and that's what makes him the most dangerous. So, I'm optimistic in our chances, but we need to play our cards right. Regular military strategy might not be enough for the kingdom to come out of this in one piece."

"Yeah," Elsa nodded in agreement. "That's what worries me too. And I have to admit I was thrown. It's the first real foreign threat to Arendelle in decades, and I'm not taking it lightly. That's actually what prompted me to hire Katherine as my personal guard."

"I hope she hasn't been causing too much trouble," he said, winking playfully at his daughter.

 _Just enough_ , Elsa thought.

"She's been excellent," she said, gazing warmly at Katherine. "You raised an exceptional, strong, brave woman, General."

"Ah, thank you. But I can't take the credit. That's all her mother's doing."

As everyone's attention landed on the soldier, she desperately needed to change the subject. "Wanna talk about bravery and strength? Dad, you should have seen her in battle. And she's a great leader on top of all that. You can't but be inspired to be the best of yourself when you see her in action."

Elsa shook her head.

"She's great at many things, but taking a compliment is not one of them. Just take it, soldier. You deserve it."

"Fine, fine. Thank you," Katherine said, rolling her eyes with a smile. "But I also meant what I said."

Noticing his daughter basically had stars in her eyes as she talked about Elsa, Magnus glanced at Kristoff and Anna, who were happily eating away, watching the girls banter, as if it was a normal occurrence.

Was it? Was he the only one noticing there seemed to be... something between them?

Baffled by the exchange he had just witnessed and what he had seen the night before, he watched Elsa go back to enjoying her meal with a smile. He had assumed the queen had come to appreciate Katherine when she had asked him to stage the surprise, but this definitely went beyond any ruler-servant rapport he had ever witnessed. It even seemed to go beyond friendship. He had good friends and they had _never_ spoken to each other in that manner. Or gazed so intently into each other's eyes as they did.

As a matter of fact, it only reminded him of one kind of relationship. And the thought struck him. It looked a hell of a lot like the way he and Katherine's mother had behaved with each other.

He was trained to observe and analyze people's behavior, but it didn't take an expert to guess what was going on between those two.

"Your Majesty," Christian said, getting everyone's attention as he entered the dining room. "Good morning. Sorry I'm late."

"Good morning Christian. This is General Magnus. General, this is Prince Christian of Stanheim," Elsa introduced them as a servant set up another place at the table.

"A pleasure to meet you, General," Christian gave him a friendly smile as he sat down.

"Likewise," Magnus replied cordially, not missing how Katherine seemed to recoil with his arrival.

And it didn't stop there. As Christian led some light conversation with everyone at the table, he noticed how his daughter's playful demeanor seemed to dim, as she kept her attention on her food.

Even if he didn't notice anything resembling the chemistry the girls had between Christian and Elsa, Katherine's change in behavior at the prince's arrival did look a hell of a lot like jealousy.

Was he reading too much into it? Perhaps. But he was definitely intrigued. He would have to keep an eye on his daughter while he was there. He didn't want to see her get hurt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well how about that... As you might have noticed, this and the next chapters are heavily inspired by Olaf's Frozen Adventure, so happy belated holidays I guess! ;) As always thank you for all your support!


	20. Chapter 20

As she finished what she needed to do for that morning, Elsa made her way to the Entrance Hall, where she would wait for Anna so they could ring the Yule Bell. She knew she was early. Way early. But she convinced herself that overseeing the preparation of the room would be a good use of her time.

The fact that she knew that a certain soldier would be helping out because her father had other things to attend to might also have had something to do with Elsa's decision.

So she stood, leaning on the banister above the flight of stairs leading to the Hall, overseeing the swarm of activity as the staff set up the tables. For a moment she looked for Katherine, thinking that maybe she misunderstood where she would be.

But then she noticed her, and a familiar swarm of butterflies took over her stomach as she studied her from afar. She was out of uniform again, trading the red dress from her birthday for some warm and riding-appropriate clothing.

And she still took Elsa's breath away. Maybe it was all that leather?

Not long after, Kristoff passed by her. He was on his way outside to go get the Yule Bell. But when he saw her, seemingly in a trance, he slowed down and came to stand beside her.

"Hey," he said simply, throwing her a sideways glance, curious.

"Hey."

She was clearly distracted. He was sure she had other things to do. Why was she just standing there?

He leaned on the railing as she did and followed her line of sight. Okay, so she was looking at the staff working. And she wasn't bossing people around? That was usually what she did. That was her job. But he was surprised by the fact that she wasn't at least asking him why he wasn't doing what he was supposed to be doing.

Suddenly, Elsa broke the silence.

"How did you know you were in love with Anna?" She asked, her head clearly elsewhere. She didn't even bother looking at him.

As he studied her further, he realized she was not only looking at the staff, but was more particularly staring intently at her guard.

He took a moment to answer the question, having been taken aback. After all, he wasn't _the_ love expert. Finally, he shrugged.

"Honestly, I'm not sure. It kinda just… happened." He recalled the Frozen Summer, and everything that happened in those few short days. How his life had changed forever. "I can tell you it was the scariest thing I had ever experienced. And I couldn't get enough of it."

He turned to gauge her reaction, but she still seemed lost in her thoughts, so he continued.

"I realized I had feelings for Anna when, even if I knew that it was the right thing to do, I didn't want to let her go to be with her 'true love'," he made air quotes, a flash of disgust crossing over his face at the thought of Hans. "I realized that I wanted to be that person for her. That even if I had only known her for barely two days, my life would never be complete without her in it."

After listening intently, her gaze lowered to the ground, snapping out of a trance.

"Huh," is all she managed to say, taking it in.

A knowing grin crept onto his face, but he kept his tone cool and disinterested, lest he scare her off. He had never had such a deep conversation with Elsa, and he wanted to show her he was there if she needed anything from him.

"Why do you ask?"

She finally looked at him and regretted it immediately as she felt herself heat up so much that she actually blushed. So she turned away, trying to regain some composure.

"Didn't you have something to do, Kristoff?"

He smirked and nodded, putting his hat back on.

"Yeah. See you in a bit."

* * *

When everything was finally ready, Anna and Olaf joined Elsa in the Entrance Hall. They made their way to the door and paused for a moment.

"Ready?" Elsa asked with a small smile, already anticipating the joy that would wash over the kingdom in the next few moments.

"I think so!" Olaf exclaimed. He was wearing a bowtie for the occasion. He had never been so nicely dressed.

"I've been waiting for this for so long, yes!" Anna was beaming.

"Let's do this!" Elsa pointed her head to the doors, which were opened by two soldiers.

They emerged onto the courtyard to meet a cheering crowd and descended the steps that were covered with a purple carpet for the occasion.

As Elsa, Anna and Olaf said hello to some children who approached them, Kristoff and Sven entered the courtyard, bringing in the Yule Bell on a sled.

The air was filled with excitement as the bell was hoisted onto an opening on the face of the castle a few meters off the ground by a system of pulleys operated by a handful of soldiers.

"People of Arendelle," Elsa began as the bell was set up. "Thank you for coming to ring in the season with us. It means a lot. I know it seems like forever since we last did this and I apologize sincerely. But rest assured that from here on out, we shall be celebrating together."

The bell rope was thrown down to them, signaling it was almost time, so both sisters, a meaningful look shared between them, grabbed it and pulled down, making the sound of the Yule Bell chime through Arendelle as the clock struck noon and the villagers cheered.

"Let the holidays begin!" Elsa declared as the crowd applauded and cheered. As she took in the happiness in her people's faces, her eyes landed on Katherine. Her smile was wide, and she was clapping happily. Elsa's smile became sheepish as Anna took over.

"Thank you so much for coming! We know you may have your own traditions to get to, but if by any reason you're lonely today, you are always welcome to join us."

A few 'thank you's and 'happy holidays' were heard from the crowd as it dispersed, ready to celebrate, their hearts full.

But as everyone left, the sisters were a little disappointed to be left alone, even if they knew that was likely to happen. Kristoff noticed and stepped in, hoping to cheer them up.

"Hey, do you wanna hear about my family tradition?"

"Uh, yeah!" Anna was quick to accept.

Kristoff went over it briefly, saying that it was the yearly honoring of the jolly troll called Flemmingrad, also known as Flemmy the Fungus Troll. There was even a fungus effigy made of him and everything. When Kristoff explained licking said figure was part of the tradition, it was just a bit much for Elsa.

Olaf, who had found the story just as unsavory, whispered to Anna, "You're a princess, you don't have to settle."

"Okay, not so much a royal activity, I get it. But wait until you taste my traditional Flemmy stew." Sven got excited by the prospect, jumping around. He was the only one. "It may smell like wet fur but it's a real crowd pleaser."

"Oh, thanks. We're good!" Anna assured him.

"Big breakfast..." Elsa added for good measure with a chuckle as Kristoff left, ready to gather his ingredients.

"So if we're not celebrating the fungus people, what are we doing?" Olaf asked.

Elsa and Anna eyed each other, still at a loss.

"I don't know. We should maybe look for some ideas in the castle?" Elsa offered.

"Okay," Anna nodded, starting toward the doors. "You joining us, Olaf?"

The castle? He had already tried that and had come up empty. He had spent the entire day before trying to figure out how to help his friends, asking the staff for some ideas, but he hadn't been convinced.

As he saw some stragglers leaving the courtyard, a lightbulb went off in his head.

"You guys do that. I have another idea!"

The sisters shrugged as they watched him skip toward the side of the castle before making their way inside.

* * *

As everyone started leaving the premises after the ringing of the bell, Magnus turned to his daughter.

"Ready to celebrate our own tradition?"

Katherine smiled softly and she simply nodded as they made their way to the stables.

A cold December night when Katherine was five years old, she had watched, impressed, as her father arrived home with an imposing fir tree. It hadn't been the first time she had seen him do that — he did it every Christmas — but that time she had wondered aloud how he had gotten it, where, how long it had taken him to cut it down, how he decided which one to get...

The child had had many questions, and Magnus had been happy to answer as he and his wife set it up in the living room and started decorating it. But, knowing the curious little girl could go on for hours about it, he had promised her he would take her the next year to show her exactly how it was all done.

And he had kept his word. It became a yearly tradition, a moment for daughter and father to connect, to spend some time together. Even after they got to Arendelle they continued doing it. And though they both had lived in the military headquarters for the last few years, meaning that they didn't get their own trees, they still went on a ride around Christmas.

They were preparing their horses at the stables when Olaf barged in.

"Sven!"

The reindeer, who had been lying down, jumped upright. Katherine and Magnus turned to look at him, but the snowman didn't spare them a glance.

"Anna and Elsa don't have a family tradition," he continued and noticed Sven's downcast expression. "I know it's sad. But I have a solution! We're going to go and find the best tradition that Anna and Elsa have ever seen and bring it back to the castle! Are you with me?"

The reindeer seemed on board, so Olaf tied a sleigh onto him before they exited, visibly thrilled.

Katherine and Magnus had been sharing glances during the exchange, and when Olaf and Sven left, they chuckled, amused.

"Well, that's new," he commented, mounting his horse.

"You get used to it," Katherine smiled as she did the same.

They rode silently toward the woods. Soon, they reached a path flanked by tall fir trees covered in heavy snow, as was pretty much everything else. Their yearly tradition involved this moment in which they put their thoughts in order before sharing them.

"How have you found your new position?"

Katherine couldn't help the small smile that lit her face. "It has been… very interesting."

"I'm sure." He threw her a sideways glance with a sly grin.

"Yeah. The job is going well," she shrugged, keeping her eyes on the road. That was the advantage of them riding as they talked. It was what made their tradition so effective. It was intimate but they could put their attention elsewhere if a subject was just a little too difficult to talk about while looking directly at the other. "To be honest, I didn't think I'd enjoy it as much as I do."

"I'm glad to hear that." He had been surprised when he heard about her new responsibilities. His spitfire daughter a royal bodyguard? It was good to know she had found something — or was it someone? — to like about it. "And why do you enjoy it?"

Delight was clear in her eyes as she recounted her adventures, notably the traveling she had gotten to do.

She told her father about all of the important people they had met — so many people!

And all the new food she had gotten to taste — and so much food, all of it warm!

"But I gotta say that the most exciting moment was when we got ambushed and I got to fight by the queen's side. I had heard about her powers but seeing her in action was remarkable. And she was so brave! On top of that she's such a kind and lovely person. She's always making sure we're taken care of…" she trailed off. The warmth that came with thinking about Elsa turned to ice when realization dawned on her. Elsa was a good person. To everybody. Katherine wasn't special.

"Yeah. From what I've seen the queen seems to not only be a great ruler, but also a genuinely caring person."

The frost that had just formed around Katherine's heart melted at that. As much was undeniable.

"She really is. But, uh, what about you? Anything exciting?"

"Oh," he shrugged noncommittally. "Just hanging out in the front lines of a brewing war. You know, same as usual."

Katherine shook her head and smiled. "Right."

Silence hung over them again and Katherine went back to drowning in her thoughts. A heavy feeling settled in her stomach as she debated whether she wanted to go _there_ with her father, into what had been really occupying her heart and her mind the last few weeks.

After a few minutes, she decided to go for it. She wasn't ready to talk about it completely openly, but she found an angle to at least get some of it off her chest. Her heart sped up as she gathered her courage. She felt as she imagined people felt when being taken to face a firing squad, as if she was taking herself to her 0wn execution.

With that less than comforting thought, she finally took the plunge.

"How, uh… How did you and mother… get together?"

That brought a smile to his face, if laced with a far-off sadness.

"You know she was a medic for the Vatmaark army. She was smart, caring and kind, but she was also stubborn and principled. She used to drive our superiors crazy. I couldn't but fall under her spell."

She nodded slowly. She knew the feeling. Though she was still unsatisfied with the answer.

"But, like… _how_?" She turned her head to face him, clearly curious.

"Oh, well," he said. Now he smiled fully, only fondness accompanying the memory. "I kept exchanging glances and smiles with her from across the room, working up the courage to go talk to her. After a few weeks she got tired of waiting around for me. She knew I used to take a walk every evening. So one night she met me outside our training quarters and asked me if I wanted for her to join me. And you know how I couldn't refuse anything to your mother."

Katherine chuckled, and she was touched seeing her father's eyes shine with the same love she had seen her parents share all those years ago.

"I might have been the one marching into battle, but she was always the bravest of the both of us."

That _did_ sound like her mother. Thinking of her relieved the tension in Katherine's stomach ever so slightly, but it was still there, threatening to make her lose her breakfast.

And she still had one more question.

"Do you ever regret allowing yourself to fall in love with her considering how hard it was to lose her?"

He mulled the question over for a moment in serious consideration.

"First of all, it's not like I had any choice in the matter," he said, throwing her a pointed but gentle look. "But even if I had, I don't regret a single thing that I lived with your mother. You know, a very wise person once told me that to truly love another person is to accept that the work of loving them is worth the pain of losing them."

Seeing her eyebrows knit in confusion as she took the words in, Magnus clarified.

"You can't truly love if you're not willing to put your heart on the line fully. And you need to believe that the risk of getting hurt is outweighed by the happiness that someone can bring you. And let me tell you, that was absolutely the case with your mother," he said, his smile wistful. "She gave me a decade of joy. And the most important thing in my life."

The loving look he was throwing her way made it clear he was talking about his daughter.

"And who told you that?" Katherine wondered, understanding the meaning of the wise words now.

"Your mother. When I asked her how she felt about the danger related to my line of work." He would have never imagined that she would be the one leaving first.

Trying not to let his mood darken, Magnus reined the conversation back in.

"And why the sudden curiosity?"

She lowered her gaze. Yeah, why was she even asking, again? It wasn't as if she had any chance to apply any of this with the person she wanted to, anyway.

"It's… complicated."

 _I bet_ , he thought.

"It often is. But if it's right, these things have a way of working themselves out."

"Maybe."

 _If it_ _'s right_. The words rang ominously in her mind. _Was_ it right?

* * *

After an agreeable rest of outing, which consisted in Magnus telling Katherine how the troops were keeping the morale up at the border, they were back at the stables. Once their horses were in their stalls, Magnus approached his daughter and wrapped his arms around her.

She deepened the embrace, appreciating not only his warmth but also the safety she felt in them. While she was in his arms, she could believe everything would be all right. She was a child again. If only for a moment.

"Matters of the heart are never easy, kid. Fight for what you want. It's worth it. And know that I'll always be here for you, no matter what."

Katherine felt a lump form in her throat. She would love to be able to tell her father everything, to let him in to help her with her current predicament. But she couldn't. Too many things could go wrong. It was too uncertain. Too dangerous.

And as much as Magnus didn't want to see her get hurt, if she wasn't really to tell him what was going on, there wasn't much he could do other that make sure she knew he was there for her.

* * *

Looking for their family traditions, Anna and Elsa found themselves in the attic, where the stuff they had cherished when they were younger were stored.

For Anna, it was a trunk full of costumes and toys. Elsa's mementos consisted mostly of rows and rows of satin gloves. But there was also Sir Jorgen Bjoergen, a knitted penguin with a button for an eye. He had been her only friend for years.

However, that wasn't everything they found in Elsa's trunk. They also discovered something far more meaningful and joyful. It was a box that held the sisters' tradition.

It wasn't completely true that Sir Jorgen Bjoergen had been Elsa's only friend when she had been shut out. Someone on the other side of her door also kept her going, and they had been united by the symbol of their love for one another all of those years: Olaf.

As they went through the keepsakes — a bunch of Olaf-themed gifts Anna had left under Elsa's door every Christmas — they realized that their tradition was right there with them. Or more precisely, running around the premises looking for something to entertain himself with, probably.

With that knowledge in hand, the sisters went downstairs to find him.

Having had no luck in the castle, they were about to look outside when Magnus and Katherine walked into the Entrance Hall.

"General, Katherine, have you seen Olaf?" Elsa asked them.

"Not since a few hours ago when we saw him take Sven to go find some traditions for you guys. I'm guessing he went into the village," Katherine answered.

Elsa and Anna shared a warm smile.

"Maybe Kristoff's seen them," Anna said, taking her sister's hand and taking her outside.

"We can help you look," Magnus said, as father and daughter followed the girls.

When the group got to Kristoff, they found Sven explaining what had happened to Olaf to him. He didn't seem to understand what his friend was trying to tell him, but Anna and Elsa caught on right away.

Olaf was lost in the forest and being chased by hungry wolves.

"Ring the bell. Gather everyone," Anna said, making the soldiers behind them spring into action.

Magnus took care of the first thing while Katherine went to round up the staff.

As night fell, the town softly illuminated by candlelight and the full moon above them, the sisters led their group from door to door, asking about Olaf's whereabouts.

Families listened intently, and as they couldn't help with information, they joined the ever-growing search party to look for the beloved snowman.

Katherine followed Elsa and Anna closely. She was really worried about their little friend, and to avoid thinking about the bad things that could have happened to him, her mind drifted to something just slightly less daunting.

She couldn't help but wonder where Prince Christian was. This was a serious matter, not to mention something that was very important to Elsa. Shouldn't something that mattered this much to the queen also matter to him?

She found his absence outrageous. Elsa deserved better.

As they approached the woods, she heard Elsa's worried voice.

"Any sign of him?" she asked Anna.

"No," Anna replied, also on edge.

Katherine shook her head, trying to channel her energies into actually looking for their friend. She had more relevant things to focus on than on an absent prince.

Finally, they approached a mound of snow, sticking out on the snow blanket of the woods, and Katherine's eye caught the bright orange of Olaf's carrot nose sticking out of it.

"Your Majesty?" Katherine said, getting the sisters' attention. Silently, the soldier pointed to her discovery.

Anna and Elsa were visibly relieved as they got near it.

"Hm," Anna said as they both kneeled on the snow to be on Olaf's level. "I wonder where he went."

Olaf dejectedly talked about his mission and what had happened to it as the sisters listened compassionately.

When Sven pulled him out of his prison by his carrot nose, the snowman apologized to them about not being able to help them, so they were quick to explain to him how they had not only found their tradition, but that _he_ was it.

The three of them shared a warm hug, and with that, their Christmas was saved. And Arendelle had gained a new tradition.

When Elsa and Anna rose to their feet, Katherine approached the little snowman and surprised him with a bear hug, lifting him off the ground as he giggled.

"Olaf!" she exclaimed with a smile. But then her features turned stern and she threw him a pointed look. "Don't do this to us ever again. We were really worried about you."

"I'm sorry," he said, his eyes downcast. "I'll try not to worry you like that again."

"Good," she nodded, her face breaking into a grin. "I'm really happy we found you," she said, embracing him tightly again, making him do the same, an elated look on his face.

After smiling at the heart-warming exchange, Elsa faced her subjects. "Anyone up to celebrating with us?"

* * *

Practically the entire village had followed the royal sisters into the forest to look for Olaf, and they were all relieved when he was found.

As a way to thank them for their help, Elsa had the castle staff bring a feast to a clearing in the woods, where she conjured up a Christmas tree made of shiny blue ice under the northern lights, which were dancing in light green tones for Christmas Eve.

After sharing food and drink, a few townsfolk started playing some music and others joined in on the dancing that was taking place around the tree, while Olaf was happily playing around with the children.

Katherine and her father had been mingling, and he was soon deep in conversation with other army officials. Uninterested by the current discussion, the soldier looked around. Her eyes soon landed on the queen. Elsa was, as Katherine was becoming used to seeing her, standing by the tables, watching her people have fun, never joining in.

Throwing one last glance at her father, and upon seeing a jolly smile on his face, she followed her urge to join the queen. Her usual confident demeanor nowhere to be found, she approached Elsa coyly, holding her hands tightly behind her back. She almost felt like kicking at the snow with her boot, for crying out loud. But she had enough self-restraint to keep herself from doing it.

Elsa gave her a soft smile as she noticed her getting closer.

"You're not going to convince me to go dance tonight."

Katherine chuckled as she went to stand beside her to overlook the party.

"Bummer. You're a great dancer."

"Had a great teacher," Elsa gazed at her sideways. Her face was serious, but it was laced with a cheerful glint.

Katherine could only shrug, her eyes trained on the ground.

"You did a great job bringing everybody together tonight."

"Oh, that wasn't me. It was their kindness, them wanting to help us find Olaf that made this possible," Elsa said humbly. Glancing at her people, she was moved by their generosity, grateful for their interest in helping her have her family together. After all, that was all she needed.

"Look who can't take a compliment now," Katherine said, making Elsa roll her eyes playfully. "And that might be the case, but you seized the opportunity and did all of this," she gestured at the ice furniture Elsa had created.

Elsa shrugged. It was so second nature that she often forgot her powers allowed her to do extraordinary things.

But Katherine could never forget how extraordinary Elsa was, with or without powers. As she stared at her intently, the way the soft blue hues of the tree reflected on her pale skin, she felt her heart beat faster.

Elsa soon noticed the attention given to her by the soldier and she felt herself heat up.

"What?" she laughed, placing a lose strand of hair behind her ear.

Katherine lowered her eyes and smirked.

"I was just... I wanted to thank you for today. It means a lot to have my father around."

"It's no problem at all." Elsa faced her this time, the honesty of her words clear. "I'm glad you liked the surprise and that I could have at least a little part in you getting the Christmas you deserve."

"And what about your Christmas? It being the first one in years and all that."

Elsa's features softened into a smile. "Better than I could have imagined."

"Good," Katherine nodded, clearly pleased with the answer. "Have you made your Christmas wish?"

"My... what?"

"Your Christmas wish. It's something my family always used to do on Christmas Eve. You make a wish about what you'd like to happen in the next year. You don't have to share it if you don't want to, but it's a nice moment to reflect on what we want and hopefully move towards that goal."

Elsa nodded slowly.

"That sounds like a great idea. I would have to think about it. Do you have yours?"

 _I just want you_ , Katherine's heart was quick to respond. Too quick for her head to filter the feelings. Her heart didn't consider the craziness of the thought, the impossibility of it all. But her rational self was painfully aware.

 _Just a friend, remember that. That_ _'s all you can be for her. If that._ Her heart dropped to her stomach at the tug of war in her mind.

"I... will probably figure it out later too."

Katherine watched Elsa nod and noticed, behind the queen's shoulder, a figure approaching them. It was Prince Christian. Of course he showed up now.

Elsa was about to ask Katherine about the wishes she had made before, when the soldier cleared her throat and stiffened visibly.

"Excuse me, Your Majesty," she nodded in reverence, which made Elsa furrow her brows, confused by the shift in tone. But before she could say anything, Katherine was leaving, and she heard Christian's voice behind her.

"Merry Christmas!" He said cheerfully. "I heard you were having a party."

Elsa turned to face him, still visibly baffled.

"We are."

"Something wrong?"

Elsa shook her head. Something clearly was, but she didn't think she would be able to fix whatever it was tonight.

"It's fine. Have you had dinner?"

Still, she couldn't help her gaze to remain fixated on Katherine as she made her way to her colleagues. And Christian noticed.

"I have, thanks," he said, following her line of sight. "What's up with you and your guard, anyway? You guys seem pretty close."

"I guess," Elsa lowered her eyes. "She's become a really close… friend." The word felt wrong when talking about Katherine. It didn't feel enough. It didn't do justice to what they shared. To what she wanted them to have.

* * *

As Elsa traveled back to the castle with Kristoff, Anna and Olaf on a sleigh led by Sven, she was deep in her thoughts, a warm feeling in her heart. The celebration had been lovely. Seeing her subjects share a good time together filled her with joy. But Katherine's suggestion swirled around in her heart. A Christmas wish…

The queen had been getting better at the wishing thing, though sometimes she still needed to reassure herself that she was allowed to do it. That it would be okay. But what did she want?

Her responsible ruler side went immediately to her kingdom. She wanted the threat to disappear, for her people to be safe. Her more selfish side however, leaned toward her family. She wanted her relationships to keep growing as they had so far, with Anna, Kristoff and Olaf.

Deeper in her heart still, there was something else she wanted: for her relationship with Katherine to get back to normal. The soldier had been acting off with her the last few days. Yes. That was it. She wished to get back to that.

No. She wanted more than that.

The holidays were some of the darkest, coldest days of the year. They were also the ones that offered the most hope. Could she hope for more?

Katherine had said it herself. It was a time to be spent with those you cared about. And she definitely cared a lot about her faithful companion.

Now she just had to make a move.

The mere thought of it made her want to run out into the forest to set off a storm, it made her so anxious.

But at least now it was a possibility in her mind. That was a start.

* * *

In the darkness of her room, Katherine reflected on her last couple of days. She had shared some lovely moments with her father, with Elsa…

Elsa. She had no idea how much she affected her guard, did she?

But she did affect her. And Katherine was still unsure about what to do about it.

She had allowed herself to believe that she could share with her something similar to what her parents had lived together. Sometimes, despite her better judgement, she still did. And the crash into reality was always merciless.

Katherine couldn't help wondering about what Elsa was doing. Toying further with her? Or did she just genuinely want to see her happy? She _had_ been running hot and cold around the queen since Christian arrived. But why did she have to be so sweet, thoughtful, caring, beautiful inside and out… _Dammit_!

Part of herself wanted to go back to the safety of only living for the mission she had given herself, for her greater-than-thou purpose. It had been easier. And far less painful.

But it could also feel empty. Lonely.

Her father's words rang in her head, and she wanted to believe him. Was it really better to have loved and lost than to have never gotten the chance to feel such bliss? Could she even feel like she lost something when she never really had it?

But beyond that possibility of bliss, the heartache burnt bright and strong in her chest. And she had to admit she hadn't felt so excruciatingly alive in a long time. It was probably the first time she had felt everything so strongly, so sweetly, and so painfully.

Maybe that was what pain was for, to remind you that you were still alive. And that you could feel hurt as strongly as love.

Her rational side, however, which was completely fine with her not feeling much of anything, was crying for her to get a grip already.

She grunted in frustration, turning around in her bed for the umpteenth time. The battle between her head and her heart was probably not going to get resolved tonight either.

Katherine finally drifted into an agitated sleep with the image of herself challenging Christian to a duel for her queen's hand. She was well aware of the fact that Elsa was the only one who had a say in the matter. But the thought of beating him procured her immense satisfaction. After all, that was her Christmas wish. To win her queen's love. Even if she didn't want to admit to it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there's my take on Olaf's Frozen Adventure. Hope you liked it! As always, thank you for the support!  
> Side note, but some of you might have noticed that other than from the Frozen canon, I make a bunch of references to different (mostly queer) media. Hit me up if you catch them ;)


	21. Chapter 21

Later the night of Christmas Eve, instead of going into his quarters when they got back to the castle, Kristoff asked Anna if they could talk after Elsa retired to sleep.

Once in Anna's room, she sat on her bed and he remained standing, his hands in his pockets.

"What's up?" she asked, curious as to what had him looking so uncomfortable.

"Have you… noticed something about your sister lately?"

"Like what?"

"Like…" he paused, unsure of how to broach the subject. Again, this was _not_ his area of expertise. Feelings in general weren't, but he felt he owed something to Elsa after she had been so open with him, and he wasn't going to be able to figure out how to help her alone. "Do you think she might be in love with someone?"

"I don't think so. Katherine seems to think she might find Christian to her liking, but he's getting married soon. Did you notice something between them too?" she said, recalling the incident with outside of the library a few days earlier.

Kristoff did a double take at that. "What? Katherine told you that?"

She furrowed her brows when she saw the surprised expression on his face. It wasn't that hard to believe. "Yeah. Why?"

He shrugged. "Because I was thinking more… about… her."

Anna's confusion only grew. "Wait, what?"

Kristoff noticed how completely lost she seemed and started to wonder if this was a good idea, but he was too far into it, so he carried on anyway. "Have you not seen the way Elsa and Katherine look at each other? How they act while they're together?"

Now her eyebrows raised as she tried to make sense of what he was saying, putting the pieces together.

"I mean, she does seem to enjoy the prince's company, but…" he trailed off. He _could_ be reading things wrong. However, he didn't think that was the case.

"Oh," Anna said softly. "But why would Katherine tell me that about Christian?" she wondered aloud, everything tumbling together in her mind. Though, now that he mentioned it, even if Katherine had tried to sound unaffected, she hadn't seemed completely thrilled with the idea.

"I can only tell you that Elsa was asking me about love earlier today. And I don't think she was talking about any prince."

The cogwheels in Anna's head were now spinning rapidly, thinking about all the interactions she had witnessed between them in a new light. Something dawned on her.

"Wait, but Katherine still thinks that there's something between Elsa and Christian. We need to do something!" she declared, rising to her feet.

Kristoff's eyes widened, seeing his girlfriend's excitement grow at an alarming pace. "Now, I'm not sure that's such a good idea. We _think_ that's what might be going on, but we're not _sure_."

"It's so obvious, though! That must be what's going on."

"Should I remind you, you were oblivious just five minutes ago?"

She threw him a pointed look. "No, you should not. But it makes too much sense for it not to be the case."

"Maybe. But we're not certain. This is theirs to work through and figure out. I just wanted to let you know what was happening with Elsa so you can keep an eye on her, not so you can try to set them up."

Kristoff's warning fell on deaf ears. Anna was already crafting a plan to help them out. A plan that would be put into execution the very next day.

The more she thought about it, the more it made sense. The way Elsa's eyes lit up when Katherine was in the room, or even when she was just mentioned, was unmistakable. And the soldier seemed just as smitten. The idea also warmed Anna's heart. Elsa deserved someone who could make her as happy as Kristoff made her. And she was almost certain that the devout soldier could be that person for her sister.

So, Anna was sure there was a misunderstanding there, and she was going to fix it.

* * *

After sharing a hearty breakfast made up of some leftovers from the previous day, Anna proposed they should spend Christmas Day at Elsa's Ice Palace.

That was how the sisters, Kristoff, Olaf, and Katherine found themselves sometime later riding a sleigh Sven was pulling on the way to the North Mountain. The soldier was also with them even if she was supposed to be off duty because both Magnus and Anna had been very insistent that she should accompany them.

Katherine couldn't believe the sights they passed through to get to the mythical palace. It was an exhilarating and sometimes vertigo-inducing view. And she was told that it had been even worse before Elsa had made the trek easier by adding some pathways here and there.

As the towering palace glowing in ethereal soft purple and blue hues finally came into full view, her breath was taken away by the craftsmanship, the attention to detail, the grandeur of it.

Kristoff still got emotional every time he saw it.

They finally arrived at the bottom of the stairs and Katherine quickly helped Elsa get out of the sleigh.

When the girls saw that neither Anna nor Kristoff were getting off, and that Anna took Olaf's hand to stop him from doing so too, Elsa was confused. "Weren't we coming here?"

"This is _your_ stop," Anna said with a big smile. "Kristoff and I are going to take Olaf on a ride around here for a couple of hours. I trust you two will be able to entertain yourselves."

Katherine's eyebrows almost disappeared into her hairline. This was not how she thought this day would go.

As for Elsa, her mouth dropped, at a loss for words. Were they doing what she thought they were doing?

She glanced at Kristoff, who winked at her.

 _Were_ they?

As it turned out, they were. Anna had managed to convince Kristoff that giving them some time alone, away from prying eyes, was something they not only would appreciate, but probably needed.

"But wasn't this—"

Anna cut Elsa off, her features soft and caring. "This is your Christmas gift. Enjoy it." She took one of the picnic baskets she had prepared and handed it to Katherine.

"See you in a few hours," Kristoff announced as he had Sven pull them away.

"Bye!" Olaf exclaimed with a wave as they disappeared from view.

Katherine and Elsa watched them go in stunned silence, and when they got out of sight, the women turned to each other.

"Well…" Elsa started. "Guess we have the place to ourselves?"

"It would appear so," Katherine chuckled before turning back toward the palace. "Wow. This is really an impressive build. And you did this all by yourself?"

Elsa shrugged, timid, all of the sudden. "Yeah."

Before Katherine could praise her further, a rumble coming from inside the palace startled the soldier. She instinctively placed herself in front of Elsa and had her hand reaching for her sword.

Elsa laughed softly. "That won't do you much good."

The snow giant's impressive figure appeared as the doors opened. Katherine's mouth went agape for a moment as he thumped and huffed his way towards them after jumping over the ravine, bypassing the delicate-looking ice staircase that led into the palace. "Is this one of yours too?" She managed to ask, still standing protectively in front of the queen.

"Yes. Marshmallow. He's harmless unless he feels threatened."

At that, Katherine threw a quick glance at Elsa with a half-smile. "Reminds me of someone I know." She turned back and she noticed a glint on top of Marshmallow's head as he passed them before leaving into the mountain range. "Is he wearing a tiara?"

"Long story," Elsa chuckled. "Come on."

They walked side by side up the stairs to the entrance. As Katherine gazed at the snowflake motif that decorated the double doors, she felt as in a dream. The cool, but surprisingly not too cold atmosphere, combined with the soothing effect of the blue and purple tones the ice had taken on that day was unlike anything she had ever experienced before.

Elsa opened the door and threw a sideways glance at Katherine. A self-satisfied grin appeared on her face when she realized Katherine seemed completely enchanted.

The soldier stepped into the vast frozen vestibule and absentmindedly placed the picnic basket by the door, her gaze trying to take in everything around her. She realized the same snowflake design she found on the door was the heart of the palace's design. The space was mostly empty except for a sweeping staircase that ran across its width and a frozen fountain that stood in the middle of the room. Looking upward, she found a jewel-shaped piece of ice suspended from the center of the canopy ceiling.

As Elsa watched Katherine turn around on herself to take everything in, she chuckled. "You haven't seen the half of it."

Katherine snapped out of her trance and smiled, motioning to the stairs. "After you, then."

Elsa took Katherine through the extensive network of stairs that connected every corner of the palace toward the topmost floor.

Elsa's features were shadowed for an instant as they stepped into the space. This room held some hard memories. She looked at the ceiling from where the chandelier that had almost killed her during the palace's siege by Hans had hung. It was also where she had frozen Anna's heart.

But when she noticed the childlike wonder in Katherine's eyes, the weight in her heart lifted at the possibility of new and better memories being made here.

"Come, I'll show you the best part," she walked to the set of doors that led to the balcony.

When she thought she couldn't be impressed any further, Katherine's jaw dropped once again when she took in the view of the mountain range.

As they both leaned on the ice railing, quietly taking in the stunning scenery, Katherine looked at Elsa. "Seriously, Your Majesty, I don't know what to say. It's all so… beautiful."

She gave a small smile. "You can call me Elsa."

Katherine chewed on her lower lip in consideration. They had no problem breaking protocol. They had since almost the day they met. But this was some of the very little professional distance left between them. She had tried it only once before, and it hadn't ended particularly well for her. "I—"

"At least while we're here?"

Katherine observed the queen's small smile and big eyes that weren't overtly pleading but were lit with so much hope that she couldn't find it in her to deny her anything. "As you wish… Elsa."

Elsa's grin widened as she turned to look at the view in front of them, nodding in approval.

"So," after a moment of comfortable silence, Katherine turned around to study the palace further, now leaning backward on the railing. "How long did it take you to build this?"

"Not long. Who would've thought thirteen years' worth of repressed magic coming out all at once could give way to something so complex and magnificent? Granted, in the process, I also froze the entire kingdom in the middle of summer," Elsa shrugged, trying to be playful, but a certain heaviness settled over her as she remembered that night.

Katherine watched Elsa attentively as she walked forward, and with a few twirls of her hand, created an ice bench in the middle of the balcony.

Elsa gazed upward at the palace. "I thought I would be happy here. That the only way I could be myself was by being alone." She sat down, now looking at Katherine. "I was so sure that was the answer, that when Anna came looking for me to try to help, I created Marshmallow to keep her away. To keep everyone away."

Katherine nodded slowly, making her way to sit beside her. "So you locked yourself away once again."

"I was certain I was going to hurt others. And that they would hurt me."

The soldier thought about it for a moment and realization dawned on her. "And you made Marshmallow to protect yourself."

"In a way, yeah," Elsa shrugged, noticing Katherine was deep in thought.

"Why didn't you create something like that when we were ambushed?"

Baffled, Elsa thought about it. In a flash, she realized what had been different that day.

"I think back then, it was me against the world. I didn't even want to let Anna in. I was content in my kingdom of isolation. Or I thought I was. During the ambush… I wasn't alone anymore. I had someone I trusted. Someone I could count on." She locked eyes with Katherine, who, deeply touched, lowered her gaze to the ground, feeling heat stain her cheeks.

They sat in silence for a while, appreciating taking in the spectacle of nature before them.

"Hungry?" Elsa asked after a while.

"Yeah. I'll go get the food."

By the time Katherine was back, Elsa had turned the ice bench into a table and two chairs.

As they started eating away at their sandwiches, Elsa couldn't stop stealing glances at the soldier. Finally, she spoke her mind. "You know… I've missed this. I've missed you."

Katherine was perplexed. She had always been there. "What do you mean?"

"I know a thing or two about shutting people out. What had you avoiding me all of the sudden? Did I do something?"

Shutting her out? She could never. "I..." Katherine found something to stare at on the ground. Apprehension tightened her chest. She would answer honestly. She just hoped it wouldn't cost her too much.

The soldier stared into Elsa's curious eyes again. "I hate that Christian is a good man and that he seems to make you happy. And I hate myself for hating him for that."

Elsa's features softened, feeling her heart flutter. Was she jealous?

Katherine winced and lowered her eyes again, visibly ashamed. "Sorry. I know I'm overstepping."

"Katherine," Elsa started softly, slightly leaning over the table. "Christian is a good guy. But he's going back to the Northern Isles to get married to his fiancée soon."

Katherine peered upward at Elsa sheepishly.

"He's a good friend, but I'm not interested in him in that way."

Katherine nodded in understanding. "It's… uh, it's none of my business, anyway." _But I_ _'m glad_ , she finished in her head. She found the pressure on her chest was slightly relieved. However, now she felt as if a horde of angry butterflies had taken over her stomach.

She had said too much. _Way_ too much.

 _Right_ … Elsa shrugged before her lips stretched into a smile. The relief that had washed over Katherine's face had been clear, and it made Elsa almost vibrate with excitement.

As Katherine still nibbled on her sandwich, hoping her stomach wouldn't reject it in its uproar, Elsa got an idea.

"I want to show you something."

Katherine watched in wonder as Elsa stood up and had her hands working on creating what she supposed was one of her usual ice masterpieces.

A human-sized sculpture emerged from a cloud of sparkling flurries. It wore the Arendelle army uniform and stood at attention. As she noticed the short hair under the standard issue hat, and the features that sported a friendly smile, Katherine realized with a start that she was looking at the ice version of herself.

Elsa looked on with a timid smile as Katherine, clearly awestruck, approached the sculpture and studied it carefully.

The soldier was fascinated. She rounded the figure and was dumbfounded by its beauty. She considered herself attractive, but this was on another level. "That's me," she said, amazed. "You made some improvements."

"I didn't," Elsa shook her head. "That's all you."

She was glad Katherine could see herself the way she saw her. Though it was unfortunate she couldn't reproduce the blush of her skin, the fire of her hair, the enigmatic darkness of her eyes or the soft rosiness of her lips on the ice. It would be even more breathtaking. Exactly as she was.

Suddenly, the mysterious sparkling snow shower was falling upon them.

It had been a while.

"Maybe we should go back inside," Elsa said, half-joking.

Katherine huffed out a laugh, her eyes trained on the clear sky. "Somehow, I don't think this is natural."

Elsa rolled her eyes playfully. "Yeah, sorry. Still haven't figured out how this one works."

"What do you mean?" Katherine wondered.

Elsa went to sit back at the table, followed by her shadow.

"I have come to understand most of the manifestations of my powers, but I still haven't figured this one out."

"What have you come to understand?"

"Hm," Elsa cocked her head to the side in reflection. "For example, I know that when my powers appear involuntarily, they depend on my mood."

"Oh. Is each manifestation related to a specific emotion?"

"Sort of. From what I gather, in general, ice means fear, snow means confusion and a snowstorm means a mix of the two. But I'm much better at controlling them now that I'm aware of how they work and what can set them off."

"And you have no idea of how you're feeling when this one tends to appear?"

Elsa sat back and thought about it, trying find a pattern. It wasn't systematically present when she was happy or nervous. The only trend she could think of was that it seemed to always be related to Katherine, be it her presence or the mere idea of her. But it had never happened in the presence of anyone else until now. The queen shook her head, feeling herself going into shaky ground she still wasn't sure she was quite ready to fall into.

Deep down, she knew exactly what it meant. By now, she should know better than to think that by denying her feelings they would go away, leaving her safe and in control. She _did_ know better than that. But old habits die hard.

"I'm not sure," she shrugged it off, preferring to change the subject. "And, you know, I may have the magic powers, but I've found that magic, the real kind of magic, comes from love. Anna's the one who helped me bring back summer. Her belief in me gave me the power to conquer my fear. And boy did it need to be strong magic to do that. But, um… she's not the only one with a magic heart, you know."

As much as Elsa was scared of the feelings she felt for the woman sitting across from her, she couldn't waste the chance to let her know just how important she was for her.

Elsa stared at Katherine with so much affection the soldier couldn't even try to deny she was talking about her. She felt her face heat up as she smiled and lowered her gaze.

She really needed her to stop looking at her like that. At this rate, she was sure it wouldn't be long before her face became permanently blushed in embarrassment.

Words failed Katherine. And before she could even try to come up with something to say that was half as touching, she heard movement coming from below. Immediately on high alert, she jumped to her feet and approached the ice railing, from where she could see what was going on at the foot of the fortress.

"Princess Anna and Kristoff are back."

Elsa felt her heart drop to her stomach as she watched Katherine walk back to the table and start placing everything back in the basket. Was it already over?

She looked out toward the mountains and realized that the sun was already starting to set, tinging the sky in pink and orange tones, even if it was still early afternoon. She suddenly noticed that the colder tones of the palace had turned into a scarlet glow over the course of their stay.

As Katherine finished her task, she noticed the other woman seemed frozen in place. "Elsa? You okay?"

The soldier's voice broke her out from her reverie. "Yeah, yeah. Let's go."

* * *

Anna watched Elsa and Katherine emerge from the palace and descend the stairs. Both had a new agitation to them, a careful elation lighting up their features. She also noticed how the two women held their hands clasped behind their backs stiffly, as if they were actively fighting an urge. To hold each other's hands? She wondered if they were aware of the fact that they were both doing it.

And they weren't. Each of them was so taken by the turmoil in their own heads that they didn't realize that they were exactly on the same page.

_Why didn_ _'t I try something?_

_It would have been the perfect moment._

_Will I get the chance again?_

As they approached their ride, Olaf bounced up and down in the back of the sleigh.

"Elsa! Kat! You have no idea what we found!"

"What did you guys find?" Elsa asked as Katherine helped her onto the sleigh. The women's eyes met for an instant, but they looked away quickly, suddenly shy.

"Come here, little guy," Katherine said as she took Olaf so she could sit where he had been, before she put him on her lap.

As he and Anna went over their discovery of the mysterious cave that they had found in one of the nearby mountains, Elsa and Katherine's minds wandered elsewhere.

They were both overly conscious of the space they tried to leave between each other to avoid touching. They both wanted it so badly that they were scared to death that the other woman didn't. So, they were both stuck, lonely and cold on opposite sides of their seat. And it was not the kind of cold Elsa liked.

Ironically, with everything — or _mostly_ everything — cleared up, the breach between them had never been narrower.

It was a physical representation of how at arm's length they were trying to keep their feelings for each other. And how utterly miserable that made them.

By the time they reached Arendelle, silence had fallen upon the group. A silence in which the thoughts of the two women seating in the back of the sleigh ran so rampant, they were deafening.

As the vehicle finally came to a stop in front of the castle steps, Katherine was quick to disembark, taking Olaf with her, before she could help Elsa once again, offering a strong hand. This time, they were able to hold each other's gazes more steadily, but the eye contact was still brief.

Kristoff, still holding Sven's reins, looked over his shoulder at the interaction. When he felt Anna's movement to get out of the sleigh, he put his hand on her arm to stop her. "Wanna go help me take Sven to the stables? And why don't you help us out too, Olaf?"

Olaf climbed back into the sleigh. "How much help can a man need to take care of a reindeer?" he asked to no one in particular.

Anna watched as Elsa and Katherine entered the castle in silence. She was dying to go talk to her sister, and it was clear in her eyes when she turned to face her boyfriend. "But—"

"I know you're curious but give her some time. Let her come to you."

She visibly deflated, but he was right. "Fine," she sighed as he directed Sven to the stables behind the castle.

* * *

As they crossed the Entrance Hall and approached the stairs, Elsa stopped and turned to face Katherine with a small, cautious smile.

"I had a great day today. Thank you for sharing it with me."

"I did too." Katherine couldn't but grin as well. "It's my pleasure. Always."

Elsa stared at her a moment, at a loss for words. She _so_ wanted to believe that it was beyond what her job implied. But, back in the real world, out of the magic of her ice palace, a part of her still needed to think it wasn't. A part of herself that craved guarding, protection, control, the kind of things that kept a heart safe but also cold, frozen shut.

She was good at pushing people away, but not at… this. How was she supposed to go about what she wanted now?

Katherine, sensing an awkwardness settle between them, went back to her own comfort zone. "I… I should probably go find my dad."

Elsa felt her chest tighten, knowing that, again, she was missing a golden opportunity. So much for encasing her feelings in ice. That was visibly a lost cause. She swallowed hard and shook her head. "Yeah. See you later?"

"Later," Katherine said before walking away.

Elsa let out an exasperated breath at herself when she was left alone. Why was this so hard? Everything had been so easy, so utterly delightful chatting the day away tucked far away between the mountains. She wanted for that to be her new normal, part of her daily life.

But for that to happen, she had to make a move.

What exactly was she waiting for?

* * *

As soon as she knew Elsa couldn't see her anymore, Katherine quickened her pace, desperate to get to her room, away from prying eyes so she could process all that had happened in the last few hours.

There was a chaotic giddiness settling in her, making her want to scream into her pillow until all the tumultuous feelings wreaking havoc in her head and in her heart were released or at the very least muffled out.

As she finally got to her room, she closed the door behind herself and leaned on it, her head spinning.

Well, so that was the whole Christian situation sorted, she guessed. What did that mean? And why did the queen think it was necessary to clarify? She didn't owe her anything.

Could it be that she also... No. The mere consideration of the thought was too dangerous. But her train of thought insisted. What other reason could there be for, well, pretty much everything they had lived during the past few months?

So far, she hadn't really allowed herself to go too deep into what Elsa herself felt, especially after her birthday ball, but the evidence piling up made it difficult to keep denying it.

Katherine had fallen in love. Hard. And it was getting more and more difficult to imagine that Elsa didn't feel the same way too.

The idea had her heart swelling in her chest, a smile inevitably stretching her lips. She would have enough time later to try to avoid thinking about it, but for now, she let herself believe it. If only a little.

She could only hope not to be shut down as painfully as she had been just a few days ago again.

Maybe she should let Elsa make the first move. She was already risking way too much just by feeling what she was feeling.

But would it ever come?


	22. Chapter 22

Elsa headed to her study. She was supposed to get some work done during the rest of the day, but the prospect of finding herself alone wasn't particularly appealing. Besides, her head was too full. She doubted she would be able to concentrate on much.

So, instead, she ended up in her room, or more precisely, in the balcony of her room. She would feel better out in the cold.

The temperature had quickly dropped as night fell, and it had started snowing hard. For a moment, she had to wonder if her fickle emotions weren't the ones causing the sudden blizzard.

But no, she didn't feel responsible for this one.

She stood tall on her balcony facing out toward the fjord, eyes closed, at home in the chilly darkness. Snow fell abundantly from the sky, the stillness of the night heightened by the velvety silence created by the thick carpet of fresh snow covering the kingdom.

She focused on how the fluffy flakes ended their dance down from the sky on her skin and melted almost immediately, quieting her racing thoughts.

At some point, Elsa opened her eyes and marveled at the show the weather was putting on for her, as she often did. She was the Snow Queen. Yet, she knew that her magic could never quite compete with the beauty of nature.

She felt that the snow that came from the clouds, part of water's never-ending cycle through Earth, was more beautiful than hers could ever be. It called for her, demanded reverence, brought her peace.

* * *

In spite of Kristoff's advice, it didn't take Anna long to become impatient, and she went to check on her sister. One of the doors of her room was open. Looking inside, she noticed it was dark except for the fire heating up the space. She also saw the balcony door was slightly ajar.

"Elsa?"

A quiet voice coming from behind her startled Elsa out of her meditation, making her freeze her hands onto the balcony railing.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you," Anna said as she joined her sister outside.

Elsa shook her head, making the ice that had encased her hands disappear. "It's okay."

"What are you doing out here? Are you okay?"

Elsa looked at her sister, and after seeing the worry etched on her face, she motioned at her to go back into the room.

"I was thinking. Or actually, trying not to think," Elsa said, following Anna. They both sat at the edge of her bed. "I can focus better in the cold. And I thought it was a better idea to go outside than to freeze my room."

Anna looked patiently at her sister. She had a lot of questions, but in a rare moment of self-restraint, she gave her the chance to be the one to start the conversation if she desired.

Elsa's eyes wandered around the room as she tried to gather her thoughts. Her gaze landed on the fireplace and she stared at it for a moment, realizing that while what she wanted was for her head to remain cool — after all she knew cold, she could handle it — what she was feeling was more reminiscent of the hot roaring fire that lit up the hearth. She wasn't used to feeling her emotions so strongly, but she knew someone who was.

As she trained her eyes back on Anna, she was met with so much love, she was reminded she was there for her no matter what. There were few things they couldn't figure out together.

"I need to talk to you about… something. I mean, I guess you already know or suspect or, I don't know, but I'm not sure if what you're thinking is actually what is happening. Although—"

"Elsa." Anna took her sister's hand in her own, hoping to help ground her. Elsa wasn't one to ramble. It meant she was really nervous. "Is something wrong?"

Elsa sighed, letting the warmth of her sister's touch steel her, allowing herself to lean into it. "No. Not really. I hope not."

"What is it?"

"It's just that… I have been feeling some things lately. And I don't know what to do with those feelings. Well, I _do_ know what I want to do, but I'm scared— so scared to do it."

Anna did have an idea of what this was about, so she was pretty sure she understood her sister's apprehension. But, while she was ready to tell her there was nothing to fear, she showed uncharacteristic restraint once again, knowing it was important for it to come from her.

"I… I think I'm in love, Anna," Elsa said quietly. She had finally said it. It was the first time she'd spoken it aloud. The first time she had even allowed herself to _really_ believe it.

A furious storm picked up inside of her at that. It wasn't one unleashed by pent up destructive rage, like the kind she knew all too well. Instead, it was driven by a violent hope, the type she also tried to steer far away from, because the potential for disappointment was too great.

But it _was_ there. Loud and obnoxious in her heart and her stomach. And she couldn't repress it any longer.

"But that's wonderful!" Anna knew this was a big step for Elsa, so she held back on her emotion, but was still visibly elated.

Even if Elsa wanted to just allow herself to feel the same excitement in her heart as Anna showed in her face, she couldn't. Not quite yet. "But how can I be sure if that's what it is?"

She loved her family. With all of her heart. That kind of love she knew. But she knew nothing about romantic love.

Especially when it came to loving another woman. She had never seen _that_ in the stories she had devoured when she had been locked away. She had no frame of reference she could hold on to there.

That was when something clicked inside of Elsa. That was it. That was one of the reasons she was so afraid of this. It was the most mysterious thing she had ever had to deal with, and that included her magical ice powers.

And yet, it made complete sense in her heart.

"That's a tough one, isn't it? What exactly _are_ you feeling?" Anna said softly, aware that her sister had drifted into her thoughts.

"Well, there's..." Elsa paused, taking a deep breath. "There's this girl," she finally said, throwing Anna a sidelong glance, searching for her reaction at the same time as she feared finding one.

Anna's expression softened into a small smile. "Yes?"

Relief washed over Elsa at that. Earlier, she had wondered what the hell she was waiting for to make a move. Well, this was it.

If her sister didn't see a problem, why should she?

"Yes."

"So? What is it that you're feeling about this _girl_?" Anna said, as if they both didn't already know who they were talking about.

"I'm feeling…" Elsa paused, her head immediately filling with images of Katherine — how much affection she could find in her eyes, how fierce and dangerous she looked when wielding a sword, how graceful she was moving around the dance floor, how warm and soft she felt in Elsa's hands — and her eyes brightened. "A lot of things," she chuckled, lowering her gaze.

Anna couldn't help but grin. She knew the feeling. "Yeah, it can be overwhelming at times."

Elsa turned serious again, gently pulling her hands from Anna's. "I really like her, Anna. I like her a lot."

"Do you think she likes you back?"

Elsa shrugged, a smile that was cautiously hopeful creeping onto her face. "Well, you actually helped me out with that one." She threw her sister a pointed look as Anna tried to appear innocent.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Right," Elsa nodded, not believing a word. "Whose idea was it?"

Anna dropped the act and shrugged. "Honestly? Kristoff is the first one who picked it up. I can't believe I didn't see it sooner. It's so obvious how your eyes light up when you're looking at her."

Elsa winced but couldn't help a smile. "Am I that transparent?"

"You both are!" Anna laughed. "It's quite adorable, actually."

"Yeah, well I might have given Kristoff a head-start."

"Hm," Anna shrugged. "I do wish I could've been there for you then, too."

Elsa felt a familiar pang of guilt at that. "Believe me, it wasn't planned. I didn't really understand what was happening. And Kristoff just happened to be there in a moment of realization, you know."

"Don't worry about it. I am glad that you're comfortable enough to share things like that with him," Anna reassured her sister. It was true. They had gone from a respectful if distant camaraderie — after Elsa had threatened him with the wrath that she would unleash upon him if he didn't treat Anna right — to a more meaningful, closer friendship in the past few weeks.

They were very similar in how they were comfortable with solitude and silence and were more down to earth than Anna, and being the most important people in her life, it warmed her heart that they felt they could count on each other.

"I can see he's a good man," Elsa said.

That made a huge smile light Anna's face. "And Katherine's a great woman, too."

Elsa chuckled before she sighed, a wistful look on her face. "I hope she likes me too. I think she does. But we haven't exactly talked about it." She felt the usual fear that accompanied this question starting to creep into her gut. "I don't know what I would do if she didn't, Anna."

Anna's eyes filled with sympathy. "I wouldn't bet against it. But Elsa this is so exciting!"

"Terrifying, I'd say."

"That too," Anna cocked her head to the side and offered her an understanding look.

"It's just… she's so amazing, you know? She's smart, tough, kind, funny, and gorgeous. So gorgeous, Anna," Elsa's expression was one of longing. "I'd be the luckiest person if she'd have me."

Anna beamed at seeing her sister so clearly in love. "You're all of those things and more too, Elsa. And she'd also be lucky to have you."

Out of the corner of her eye, Anna noticed something shimmering in the room. As she looked up, it was as if tiny diamonds were falling from the ceiling. Elsa followed her sister's gaze and became bashful.

Anna lifted an eyebrow and smiled cheekily as she faced Elsa. "Sparkling snow?"

Elsa rolled her eyes playfully. "Something like that."

That particular power hadn't manifested in front of anyone before today. Did that mean she was now ready to share what she felt and assume the consequences, whatever they may be?

"It's gorgeous," Anna said, more serious. "Just like love, Elsa. Embrace it. It's the best part of you."

Anna was right, Elsa thought. And she finally believed she was ready to accept it fully. To go all in.

That was the only way to go into love, after all.

* * *

Katherine needed to do something before she went crazy.

On her way out to the courtyard, she ran into Olaf.

"Hey, Kat," he said casually as he sauntered through the corridor.

"Hey, Olaf."

Noticing she was still dressed for the cold, with her sword hanging from the uniform belt she wore over her casual clothing, he stopped near her, making her do the same. "Are you going out?"

"Yeah. I have to… use up some energy," she admitted.

"Happens to me too when I eat a lot of candy. Or cake," he said understandingly.

"I bet," Katherine nodded. She was about to bid him goodbye when something came to her mind. "Hey, do you remember once that you told me you considered yourself a love expert?"

"Uh-huh," he said importantly, ready to share his expertise.

"Why is that?"

"Oh, well. I know a lot about it. Some even say I'm even made of it."

Katherine had no trouble believing it. "So maybe you can tell me what love is?"

"Oh, you don't need me for that. I'm sure you know what it is," he said. He was aware of how big her heart was, and how much love there was there. It wasn't difficult to see.

"Humor me. How would _you_ describe it?"

He considered it for a moment. "Well, I believe that love is putting someone else's needs before your own. And you know, I discovered something not very long ago."

"And what's that?"

"I think love can also feel like every part of you wants to flurry up into the sky into an explosion of shiny snowflakes! Though that might just be a snowman thing," he explained.

Well, that was an image. And it told her something she wasn't quite sure she should know.

"Really? And how did you discover that?"

"Well," he shrugged, his demeanor turning coy. "That's how I feel like when I'm with you."

"Oh, Olaf. You love me?" she asked, kneeling down to be on his eye level, clearly finding the little snowman's declaration endearing.

"Of course, I do!" he exclaimed. Why wouldn't he? "You're nice, brave, smart, warm — and we all know how much I love all things warm," he clarified, matter-of-factly.

With a grin, she brought him into her arms. "I love you too," she said as she hugged him tightly, making him giggle.

* * *

The sisters, having grown hungry, headed to the kitchen.

And on the way there, they happened to run into Katherine.

It was her evening to run into people, it seemed.

Anna saw her first, and as soon as she did, she turned to Elsa and stopped her in her tracks.

"You know what? I think I'm going to go see Kristoff. See you later," she said quickly before sprinting in the direction of the castle entrance.

"Wait—" The rest of Elsa's phrase died in her throat when she noticed the soldier coming from another corridor with a purposeful gait.

Katherine significantly slowed down her pace when she finally spotted Elsa.

"Your Majesty," she said, coming to a stop near her.

"Katherine," Elsa said simply.

"I was, uh, on the way outside," Katherine answered a question that hadn't been asked so she could do something other than just stare at her queen.

"Kitchen," Elsa answered the same imaginary question.

In her quest to find literally anything else to get her attention, Katherine ended up glancing upward, and she couldn't but share her discovery. The opportunity was too good to pass up.

Was this the universe trying to tell them something?

"Well, would you look at that. It appears we're standing under a mistletoe."

Elsa joined her in staring at the decoration hanging from one of the beams in the ceiling. "Oh, silly tradition."

"What do you mean, silly?" Katherine brought her eyes back to the queen, who met her gaze. "Isn't there a… mistletoe God or something that threatens to strike us down if we don't follow the mistletoe rules?"

Elsa chuckled lightly. "I don't recall that particular legend."

"Do you want to take the chance?" Katherine lifted an eyebrow, teasing.

The beauty and the light in the face of the woman standing before Elsa had her knees growing weak. She couldn't deny Katherine anything if she wanted to.

"You're right. We don't want to anger the… mistletoe God, do we?" she managed to say finally, her mouth going dry with nerves and anticipation.

Katherine smiled softly and lowered her eyes for a moment before approaching Elsa slowly. As she did, Elsa felt heat spread over her body, and wondered if it was strong enough to actually show on her face.

Katherine watched her intently and leaned in painstakingly slowly. As she did, Elsa felt her breath hitch in her throat and she closed her eyes, carried away by the moment.

Katherine weighed her options for a moment, and finally placed a soft kiss on the queen's cheek.

"There," she said with a small smile taking a step back. "Crisis averted."

Elsa opened her eyes, her head spinning. She was expecting more. Hoping for more. And still the simple, gentle touch of Katherine's lips against her skin was enough to send lightning bolts all through her body. All she could do was stand there frozen in place, unable to think about what to do next. She was sure a breeze could knock her over.

"I'll be training if you need me, Your Majesty," Katherine nodded and left. A grin split her face as soon as she turned her back to Elsa. It was adorable seeing the queen so out of sorts.

Would she have liked more? Absolutely. She thought she had demonstrated an inhuman amount of self-restraint. She had been trained to control herself, which was why she hadn't kissed Elsa properly right there and then. But she was also too scared that it would be too far for the queen. After all, there were a lot of unsaid things and gray areas between them.

Whatever she thought she had gathered from her interaction with Olaf, she just couldn't be sure.

Who knew what they were really doing here? The only thing she was certain of was that she had enjoyed it. A lot.

Elsa watched her go as disappointment settled deep in her gut. She quickly realized that, as much as she had been confused as to what to do next, that was very much not what she had wanted to happen.

Elsa took stock of the situation now. She could go back to her room, alone, giving her the advantage of remaining safe, keeping her heart frozen, not risking anything.

But that would mean she wouldn't get a chance to get what she really wanted either.

So, she went with her other option.

* * *

Elsa walked slowly, growing more nervous by the second, towards the Entrance Hall. With most the staff gone for the holiday, the castle was eerily still and silent. Elsa felt like the pounding in her ears would alert everyone left of what she was feeling. She was teetering on the edge of a cliff. She just hoped that Katherine would be there to catch her.

As she finally made it to the door of the castle, she took a deep breath, gathered her courage, and opened it, walking out into the snowstorm that had picked up. At least she would be in her element. And, after all, if there was ever a time for miracles, the holiday season was it. And Christmas wasn't over yet.

So far, Elsa had been trusting Katherine with her life. Now she hoped she could do the same with her heart.

A look of pleasant surprise covered Katherine's features as she saw the queen exit the castle and join her. She smiled, but a quizzical look covered her eyes. She was standing in the middle of the courtyard, having been stopped on her way to the training room. "Your Majesty. Can I do something for you?"

Elsa stared for a moment at Katherine's features, taking her gaze from the soldier's lips to her eyes. "As a matter of fact, yes. I believe you owe me a proper kiss."

With the snow and air whipping around them, Katherine could have asked herself if she had heard her right. But the smoldering look in Elsa's eyes gave her the confirmation she needed, and it had a fire igniting in her belly.

The soldier felt electricity course through her body as she fought to keep her movements slow and deliberate. She took Elsa's hand, guiding her into the ice room, which would shield them from the elements.

"Your wish is my command," she said solemnly in the serenity of the room, savoring the moment, taking her time to study the features of the woman who held her heart, and was now making her the happiest person on the planet.

Was this actually happening? Could she be this lucky?

After a beat, which seemed like an eternity to Katherine, she framed Elsa's face with her hands. They both closed their eyes and leaned in slowly, feeling the air thin between them.

But just before their lips met, Elsa had to ask, "Wait," she whispered, breathless in anticipation, making Katherine stop in her tracks as they both opened their eyes. "Are you sure?" she said, swallowing hard.

Katherine smiled softly. "I've never been more sure of anything in my life."

Elsa grinned before they leaned in again, eyes closed, into a kiss that was cautious at first. Lips meeting for the first time, tender, taunting, both exploring the new worlds offered to them.

After that first tentative meeting, they pulled apart and opened their eyes to small smiles on their faces that became absolutely radiant upon gazing at the joy in the other's expression. Little giggles escaped their lips, the bubbling excitement in their chest too much to contain.

But soon, their gazes began roaming freely between eyes and mouths, hungry for more, which had them leaning in for another kiss.

This time, it quickly became more eager, more desperate, as if they wanted that kiss to speak for them. All the words that had hung unspoken between them for weeks were now meaningless, the magic of the moment saying it all and so much more.

Katherine hadn't just caught Elsa as she took the plunge into the unknown. She went with her. The realization that Katherine also wanted her had Elsa's head spinning. Or was it the lack of oxygen? In any case, Elsa had always been terrified of falling. Who knew it could be so blissful?

As Elsa's hands found the back of Katherine's neck, they let themselves be carried by the need to taste each other, for the space between them to disappear completely. Their mouths explored at will as they felt their body temperatures rise.

The sparkling shower that now fell hard upon them may have been icy in nature, but the fire raging in their bodies was anything but. It was the exhilarating first intimate meeting of two souls who belonged together but hadn't dared dream of this moment. And yet, anything they could have ever imagined fell short to the number of sensations that coursed through their veins.

Not even the storm raging outside could rival it.

Soon, sooner than either of them would have liked, they had to come out for air. The sound of heavy breathing filled the space as they remained close together, forehead to forehead. As they caught their breaths, a goofy grin lit both of their faces. Katherine looked around and chuckled lightly.

"I guess I know what that one means now."

"I hope I didn't interrupt anything."

"I'm glad you did," her eyes full of affection, Katherine broke away a little and softly pushed the lose strand of blonde hair away from Elsa's face. "You have no idea how long I've been fantasizing about doing this," Katherine laughed to herself. The kiss had been amazing — mind-blowing even — but it was the sweet, tender gestures she was most looking forward to be able to do freely.

"And you have no idea how happy I am that you feel the same way as I do."

"Oh, I have the exact idea. I was scared to death."

Elsa took one of Katherine's hands into her own running soothing circles over her knuckles with her thumb. They both knew that the scary parts were far from over. However, it was both of them against the world now. Whatever they had to face they would, together.

Elsa thought she understood now what Olaf had meant when he had talked about someone being worth melting for.

But maybe not right this second?

As Elsa's thoughts started to drift to dark places, she brought them to a halt. This was a happy moment. A joyous one. They should enjoy it for a bit longer before bringing reality into the mix.

"Do you, uh... mind if we keep this to ourselves for a little while? So this can be only ours, at least while we figure it out?"

"Keeping my hands off of you in public?" Katherine leaned in for another kiss. "I don't know if I'll manage, but I'll try," she continued suggestively just before their lips locked in another glorious connection.

So, as Christmas day drew to a close, both women had gotten their wish.

* * *

After some time of staring at each other in disbelief with stupidly adorable smiles on their faces, Elsa's stomach grumbled loudly, reminding her that she was, in fact, still hungry.

"I think that means it's time for dinner?" Katherine chuckled.

"Might be," Elsa huffed out a laugh. She exited the room, and when Katherine didn't follow her, she threw over her shoulder, "You coming?"

"You can go ahead. I'll be there in a moment."

As she watched Elsa leave into the castle, Katherine remained glued to the place she had been standing on. She closed her eyes, bringing her fingers to her lips, the ghost of Elsa's mouth moving against hers igniting her body once more.

She sighed contentedly. The idea of getting to kiss her again had her heart fluttering. Everything she had ever dreamt of doing was now possible.

And Elsa wanted the same thing.

She could barely believe it. The thought had seemed so impossible, so dangerous, just an hour earlier. And now, her heart was so full of joy and love that she was almost sure her chest would burst.

She felt invincible, as if she could fly, take on the world and do with it as she pleased. And yet, the only thing she could think to do with that world was give it to Elsa. That or whatever it was her beautiful heart desired.

Katherine was sure now more than ever that she would kill and die for the woman that held her heart, and not just because it was her job. But most importantly, she wanted to _live_ with her, to grow with her, learn to love her and care for her, learn to be loved and cared for.

She often thought that her parents' story would make her want to stay as far away from that kind of love as possible. And it had. For a long time.

But now she knew that it only made her cherish it more dearly. She knew how precious it was. How easily it could be taken away. Every moment would be priceless.

Her feelings were bright and strong and scalding in her chest. Would they burn out quickly, like a hot flash fire that ravages everything it touches and disappears in seconds? Maybe. But that wouldn't make any blissful moment count any less.

And she learned recently that she wasn't going to find out unless she went all in.

So, she would.

There was a lot of uncharted territory in the feelings that swirled around in Katherine's heart, and while there were some bleak areas full of doubt and fear, tonight, the thrill of the discovery of so much light inside of herself was overwhelming and didn't leave place for anything else.

What else was there really, anyway?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What indeed? So there you have it! Kelsa's officially canon! Yes, that's my ship name for them ;)  
> I hope you've enjoyed their journey so far, and that you will continue to, because I still have a few adventures in store for them!  
> Take care of yourselves and see you on the next chapter.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!


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